Oyasumi Nasai
by Black And White Kirara
Summary: When supposed tragedy strikes InuYasha and his friends, how will they move on? How will they cope when months later they hear of a wondering miko?...R&R please!
1. A day like no other

**This is the first chapter of my next proper full-length story.**

**It took me a little while to get this first chapter written up and completed because for a while for some reason unknown to me my mind has been blank for the past few days. I wrote that little oneshot to kind of kick-start my brain again...it worked! **

**3am this morning the story FINALLY started to take place!**

**I welcome constructive critisism, but NO bashing the characters or stories please!**

**This may also contain one or two spoilers from the manga.**

**Please review and enjoy!**

**Once again InuYasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and her alone.**

**(this may seem to have a **_**slightly **_**similar plot to my first story, but I assure you it's quite different )**

**A day like no other**

" WIND SCAR!!!" InuYasha bellowed, thrusting his sword forward, sending a blast of destructive enery toward Naraku.

" Hiraikotsu! " Sango shouted at the same time, sending her giant boomerang hurtling towards the tainted half-demon.

Naraku simply dodged each attack however, the now complete Shikon jewell emitting a bright light from inside him, fueling his body armour with unstoppable power and protection.

" Kukuku...Is that really the best you can do?..." Naraku taunted InuYasha and the demon slayer.

" There is no way you can beat me now...You will fail to avenge Kikyou's death InuYasha! "

InuYasha was sent into a fit of rage at this, and aimed another more powerful attack at Naraku, who simply stepped to the side once more. " NARAKU YOU BASTARD!! " InuYasha yelled.

From the side of the battle, Kagome, Shippo and Kirara were sitting next to Miroku, sheilding him from battle. The monk had used his wind tunnel once again to save them all, and it had very nearly cost him his life.

He attempted to move, but Kagome gently pushed him back down, eyes filled with worry for her injured friend.

" Don't move Miroku, save your strength, " Kagome instructed.

Reluctantly, Miroku obliged to her command. Why did he have to go and do this now? His friends were out on that battle field fighting on their own! Sango, the woman he loved was alone, using all of the strength she had to keep Naraku at bay! He needed to help her...

One of Naraku's tentacles came straight toward them, but Kirara transformed and was able to destroy it before it reached them. However, more and more of them were heading there way, and Kirara was starting to have a tough time keeping them away by herself.

_" Kirara " _Kagome thought.

" Shippo, stay and make sure you protect Miroku with your fox fire! " She ordered, before notching one of her arrows and firing it at the approaching tentacles, effectively destroying them with her spiritual power.

Naraku cringed slightly in pain, turning his attention to Kagome and Kirara. He shot multiple tentacles toward the girl and nekomata, giving them no time at all to launch an attack.

" KAGOME! " InuYasha yelled as he attempted to reach her before it was to late. He didn't quite make it though, as Naraku's tentacle whirled straight into her...but not quite...

Instead of piercing either Kagome or Kirara it separated them, knocking Kirara staight into the side if the cliff and Kagome onto the edge. They both passed out.

" Kagome! Kirara! " Sango, Miroku and Shippo shouted, Sango being the only one who could run other to them.

While Sango ran to Kirara, InuYasha ran to Kagome. " Kagome! " he shouted in worry. He gently lifted her head into his arms, and felt a wave of relief wash over him when she opened her eyes.

" Inu...Yasha?..." She asked.

" Kagome..." He said as he ever so slowly began to help her up, " are you okay? "

" y..yeah...I'm fine..." Kagome answered as she gently leaned on InuYasha for support. Something suddenly caught her eye.

" InuYasha! Look out!! " Kagome managed to scream as a giant tentacle shot towards him.

InuYasha pushed Kagome out of the way just as the slimy thing wrapped itself around his waist, hauling him into the air and throwing him across the battlefield close to where Kirara had landed.

" INUYASHA! " Kagome called to him, as she tried but failed to sit up on her own and run to him. She could only watch helplessly as InuYasha started to get up but stumbled weakly and collapsed on the ground. _" No...InuYasha..." _

A chill suddenly ran down her spine.

From infront of her, Naraku had appeared, hair flowing madly around him with the glow of the now tainted jewell. He laughed coldly at the injured half-demon, then turned his attention to Kagome. Using the jewell itself, he produced a barrier around himself and her.

" Kagome! Naraku stay away from her! " Sango yelled as she left Kirara's side and through her hiraikotsu at the barrier. It had little effect. _" No Kagome! Damn you Naraku! You've taken Kohaku away from me, don't you DARE take Kagome too! " _

Miroku managed to stand, supporting himself with his staff and slowly made his way to Sango, who was continuously hitting the barrier with her boomerang, Kirara now at her side doing the same thing.

" Miroku! What are you doing!?! Your hurt! " Sango yelled in worry as she caught him when he stumbled.

" I..I won't let Naraku take someone else away from me! Not like he did with my father! " Miroku said, aiming his sacred sutras at the barrier. They too did nothing. What could they do!?! They had to get Naraku away from Kagome somehow! But...how?

Miroku, Sango, Kirara and Shippo watched in horror as Naraku approached Kagome, who was still floor bidden and completely helpless. Her arrows had been thrown over the cliff when he separated her from Kirara, she had no weapon. All the while Naraku was getting closer. He stopped abruptly however.

He turned around and watched the group's futile attampts to try and brake through the barrier he had created. A chilling smile came onto his face. He sent a blast of energy from the jewell at them, which amazingly passed straight through the barrier, knocking Kagome's friends right off their feet, and sending dust flying into the air.

" NOOOO!!! " Kagome shouted as she saw her friends fall. She couldn't see them anymore through the dust.

Naraku laughed once more, satisfied that they were all out of his way. He directed his cold eyes back to Kagome, who, fearing the worst for her companions, had a steady trail of tears flowing down her cheeks. Naraku snikered at this.

" You're too late Kagome, I have killed them, and I plan on doing you the same, " Naraku said as he launched a tentacle straight at her heart.

**" Don't speak so soon Naraku! " **

Kagome heard the familiar voice, and joy crept up inside her when she realised it was InuYasha. _" He's alright! "_

" WHAT!?! " Naraku whirled round to see InuYasha destroy his barrier with the red Tetssuiga(spl?).

When the barrier disappeared, InuYasha sprinted to Naraku brandishing his sword, ready to deliver a full blown attack.

" GET THE HELL AWAY FROM KAGOME!! " InuYasha bellowed at him as he ran.

Naraku's momentary surprise faded, and the cruel smirk found its way back onto his face.

" What's the matter InuYasha? Trying to save another woman you love? Pathetic..." Naraku hissed as he threw a spiked tentacle at InuYasha.

" InuYasha! " Kagome yelled. She suddenly felt full with a new found strength at seeing Naraku attack InuYasha, and felt a dull, throbbing sensation all over her body. The wind picked up around her, and her hands glowed a light pink.

As Naraku went for InuYasha, he too felt a throbbing from inside him, but not from his body...

_...the Shikon jewell..._

InuYasha came to a hault as he watched the jewell inside Naraku glow brightly. Naraku sreamed as he felt _pure _power flow out of the jewell, pulsating into him. _Not good._

The half-spider demon had to stop it, if he didn't the jewell would purify him!

Naraku felt something wrap around his middle. Imidiately the jewells power grew stronger, and he felt added power come from whatever had wrapped itself around him. Whoever it was, they were fueling purifying energy to the jewell, and it to them.

InuYasha recovered from his temporary blindness from the light, and his heart skipped several beats when he saw the scene infront of him unfold. Before he could react, he found himself thrown to the floor by the pure power emitting from infront of him. Naraku angrilly looked down to his middle.

Kagome had latched herself around him, her hand glowing with pure miko energy. She was using her own power _and _the jewell's to purify him! She'd purified the jewell!

Naraku tried pitifully to get the young miko off of him, but to no avail. He managed to stab her in the stomach, and was pleased to hear her yell in pain. But still she held on, determined it seemed.

Naraku couldn't take it. He screamed out into the heavens, and did the only thing he could think of. He trust a hand into his body, and though it burnt him severely, he yanked the jewell from within him and threw it out and over the cliff. He immediately lost his gained armour, and any of his extra gained strength dissapeared along with the jewell.

Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara had awoken to the scene, completely shocked and horrified at what they saw.

InuYasha wasn't able to rise from the ground though, the massive amount of energy that had been displayed from Kagome and the jewell _still _hung in the air, bounding him to the ground. He could see now though.

Kagome slumped down from Naraku's waist when he threw the jewell away, her energy completely sapped. InuYasha called out her name and reached a hand out in her direction, unable to move to her. His companions tried to move to, but it seemed the energy wouldn't let them either.

Naraku's armour had completely worn away, and his body was covered in scorch marks. He was too weak for battle, he would have to flee.

But not before he made a certain miko pay.

He wildly turned around to face Kagome, absolute fury in his eyes, they showed no mercy. Kagome was on her knees, willing her body to rise and get away from Naraku.

She didn't move quick enough.

Naraku sent forward one last tentacle. It pierced Kagome's chest, and sent her flying over the edge of the cliff. _**" Oyasumi Nasai, Kagome..."**_

As Naraku pulled back his weapon, Kagome began to fall down from the high cliff, her eyes widened in shock and fear. Exhaustion from her attack on Naraku, and the new wound he had inflicted upon her took over, and she slipped into unconsciousness, falling down to the awaiting river below her. She could do nothing as her friends desperate calls of anguish reached her ears, shouting out her name, one much louder than the rest.

_" InuYasha...I'm so sorry..."_

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**There you have it!**

**Please tell me what you think! **

**I will update asap! **


	2. The mark you left upon us

**Here is the next chapter!**

**The mark you left upon us**

A whole four months had passed since that cursed day, the day Kagome had been killed, taken away from those she loved. Her departure from the world of the living had cast a dark shadow over InuYasha and his friends. The event had caused them all so much pain...

The light had left their eyes, leaving nothing but the trace of sorrow and sadness, a dark reminder of what had happened to their dear friend.

Sango had refused to speak to anyone for weeks after, she had preffered to be alone, practicing with her hiraikotsu or with Kirara. She had eventually come around though, for the sake of those she had left, those she still cared for.

Miroku had also been rather distant with everyone, deeply sadened by the event. Like Sango however, he still greatly valued the friends he still had, ones he needed to help and look out for. He would never abandom any of them, especially Sango. Kagome would never have wanted that. The monk chose to prey daily for Kagome's safe journey to the afterlife, hoping she would find peace. Sango had begun to do the same, as had Shippo.

Shippo had done literally what any young child would do when they lost someone dear to them: cry. Shippo had wept and wept for weeks after, seeking what ever comfort he could find from Sango or Miroku. They had tried their best with him, but found their own sadness involving the young miko's death was still far to fresh in their minds. Kaede had offered her support to the group also, she also mourning the loss of Kagome. Kagome had done _so _much for them all, they had realised. She'd been there for them all through thick and thin. She really had been what had kept them together as a group, and she had left her pure mark on them all. She had given them friends, family and love. In the end she had died saving them all from certain death.

Kagome deserved to see that her friends would carry on in life together, continuing to look out for eachother, care for one another. It had been tough to begin their quest once again without the young miko, but they would do their very best. They owed Kagome that much.

One warm night, InuYasha found himself resting in the branches of Goshinboku, the sacred tree he had been pinned to by the miko Kikyou for 50 years. His friends had begun their travelling once more earlier that day, but InuYasha had elected to saty behind. He would catch up with them later. For the moment, he had other things on his mind.

Kagome's death had really taken its toll on InuYasha, and the group suspected he blamed himself for what happened. They knew InuYasha had suffered greatly from it, far more than any of them. He just about cut himself from his friends completely, very rarely choosing to interact with them at all. He was so full of despair and anguish, it was like nothing he had felt for years. Kikyou's death had been painful but it hadn't _compared _to what he felt now. He had almost lost his will to live, the friends he still had being the only thing that had kept him going for so long. Knowing that it would have been what Kagome wanted helped a little aswell.

InuYasha thought back to that horrible day, the day he had lost the most important thing to him.

_Kagome._

He missed her _so _much. He missed her laugh, her smile, her warm touch, her scent, her voice, even her sit commands. The rosary around his neck was the only thing he had left of Kagome, that and her red neck tie she had worn. InuYasha thought back...

_Her neck tie._

It had been the only thing they had been able to recover of Kagome. It was battered, ripped and covered in a small amount of blood, which InuYasha had recognised as Kagome's. He hadn't been able to save her, only watch helplessly as Naraku pierced her chest, sending her over the cliff to her doom. He lost all feeling in his body when he saw her fall, he could only yell out her name at the top of his lungs.

Naraku had chosen to flee with his injuries inflicted upon him by Kagome and the jewell. InuYasha and his friends hadn't cared though, the only thing on their minds had been Kagome.

As soon as the energy subduing them had passed, InuYasha had lept to the edge of the cliff at lightning speed, calling out Kagome's name as he made his way to the ground far below. Sango, Miroku and Shippo had taken to the air on Kirara, flying down to the river below and following it along, hoping to find some trace of Kagome. They searched well into the next day, refusing to give up. Exhaustion had taken its toll though, and regretfully, they had been forced to stop to rest. The true realisation about Kagome had started to sink in. No human could have survived such a fall, it was too far, too steep...

InuYasha had refused to stop searching though. He went on for days looking for her. He didn't want it to be like Kikyou, he didn't want to loose Kagome to. He had been angry at his friends for giving up so soon, and took his temper out on the surrounding trees and wildlife, leaving a steady path of destruction in his wake. On the forth day of searching, InuYasha had come across Kagome's neck tie. The horrible reality of the situation hit him hard just then, and he fell to his knees in overwhelming grief, tightly clutching her tie in his hand. He pounded the ground with his fist until it bled, all the while howling in anguish. His friends didn't think they'd ever heard such a saddening cry.

InuYasha always kept her tie with him now.

InuYasha had had to be the one to tell Kagome's family back in her time, being the only one left now who could travel between the two worlds. He'd done his best to forget how badly her family had taken it. He hadn't been back to them since, knowing they despised him now.

For months now, InuYasha had only kept one thing in his mind.

_" Naraku, you WILL pay, you WILL pay for what you've taken from me! YOU WON'T EVER TAKE SOMEONE ELSE FROM ME AGAIN!! MARK MY WORDS!! "_

_ In a village not too far away _

" Oh thankyou priestess! That dreaded demon shall terrify our lives no longer! How can we ever repay you? " An elderly man asked, his fellow villagers also showing their appreciation to their saviour.

" Pay it no mind, it was no trouble at all " a calm voice answered, " perhaps we should proceed to help treat master Kentai's wounds now? "

" Yes indeed. Thankyou so much kind priestess..."

As the woman who had began to walk over to treat the master Kentai's wounds turned round to look at the elderly man, she smiled warmly at him. The man took in her face properly for the first time.

The woman was a miko, wearing the traditional miko garb. She had long, bouncy raven hair that was tied up with a white ribbon, allowing a few whisps of it to fall around to shape her face. She had slightly pale skin, but with rosey cheeks. She also carried a long bow and arrows across her back.

She was truly a vision of beauty and grace.

The only thing slightly strange about her were her brown eyes. At first glance they appeared light and full of warmth, but now as the elderly man looked closer he saw something different. Her eyes had a sense of loss and insecurity about them. They seemed to hold back a deep unknowing about herself, though it remained almost perfectly hidden to the passing spector. Only now had the man chosen to look so deeply into them had he noticed...

The priestess looked at him with slight concern for a moment, and blinked absentmindedly. This snapped the village man out of his trance as he shrugged off the feeling and proceeded to help her treat his fellow villager's wounds. Inside, as the priestess got to cleaning and wrapping up the wound inflicted upon the young man, she was watched with awe by the village folk. Never had something as pure as this woman come into their village before. She moved about her duties with such grace and delicatesy, like nothing they had witnessed before. They greatly appreciated the young miko's help and promised her any favour in return. The priestess had declined, explaining there was no need for it, she was merely carrying out her duties as a miko. Instead, they pleaded with her to stay for a few days to rest and recover from her fight with the demon. She thanked them but told them she really had to be on her way.

As the priestess bowed to the villagers one last time before setting off once again, a young girl with long brown hair and wearing a pink kimono came up to her shyly. The miko politely kneeled down and smiled warmly at the girl.

" Umm...I..I wanted...well...we _all _felt we should give you at least _something_ in return for your kindness, " the girl stated.

She held out her hands and placed into the miko's own a small object wrapped in fine cloth. The priestess opened it carefully to find a small, golden bracelet. It shimmered brightly in the sunlight, reflecting its rays.

The priestess looked at it with awe.

" Oh...you really didn't have to give me something as precious as this...you should have it back..." The miko said as she placed it back in the young girl's hands. But she gave it right back.

" No, you are to keep it, see it as thanks, and a sign that you will always be welcome here. "

The miko smiled warmly once more at the girl, and slowly stood up again. She gave them all a bow once more and a thankyou before setting off at a walking pace. The villagers waved to her as she went and she waved back.

As the priestess walked along, she carefully tucked the gift inside her white kimono shirt. She turned back once more to the village and silently thanked them once again. They had been just as kind to her as she had to them, and with the perilous journey she had ahead of her, she greatly appreciated their kindness and hospitality. She gave them a silent prey of safety before setting off along the dirt path again.

Suddenly, out of the shadows came a small demon, a neko demon to be exact, with giant ears, a long tail but a small body. It jumped onto the priestess' shoulder and lightly nuzzled her cheek at her return to him, his green slit eyes alight with joy.

" So mistress, do you find any food for me while helping those villagers?, " the larged eared cat asked.

The priestess smiled at him slightly before stopping her walk and pulling out from under her kimono a piece of fish wrapped in cloth. " That's half from my dinner last night, eat it up, that's the most food you'll be able to eat by sunset, " the woman explained as the cat gobbled his fish down greedily. She inwardly smirked to herself as she watched the cat eat.

_" You're such a pig, Kari..."_

The miko waited until he'd finished, then set off walking again, her demon friend trotting happily beside her, satisfied with his fill.

_" Thankyou, mistress Kagome..."_

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**So tell me, what did you think???**

**Please, please continue to review!!**


	3. The slime demon

**The slime demon**

" InuYasha! Why don't you come down and have something to eat with us, please? " Sango asked the half-demon from his spot high on the tree.

" I ain't hungry..." InuYasha stated.

" You haven't eaten anything for two days InuYasha! "

" I said I ain't hungry Sango! " InuYasha snapped at her.

Sango sighed. She'd been trying to get her friend to eat something for the past fifthteen minutes but had had little success. InuYasha had hardly spoken to them at all since he caught up with them earlier that day. She, and everyone else were concerned for their friend. He hadn't really been eating much at all lately and it wasn't doing any good for him. They supposed he caught the occasional fish from a nearby river every so often but they couldn't be sure.

" InuYasha..." Miroku came over to address the half-demon. " We know the past few months have been difficult for you, they have been for _all _of us, but starving yourself isn't going to help the situation at all! "

" Grrr just leave me alone monk! All of you! I'm fed up of you lot pestering me like this all of the time! " With that InuYasha jumped down from his perch on the tree, and dissapeared further into the forest, muttering to himself.

The pair broke into a collective sigh.

" It really is _so _hard for him Miroku, isn't it? " Sango asked, lightly leaning her head on the monk's shoulder.

" I know it is Sango, and I _know _how much he misses her, we all do, but refusing to eat and choosing to ignore _us _won't bring lady Kagome back..." Miroku replied, wrapping an arm loosely around the demon slayer's shoulders.

" We can't give up on him though Miroku, he's still our friend, " Sango pointed out.

" No one said anything about giving up Sango, thats the last thing I plan on doing, " Miroku said as he and Sango turned round and walked slowly back to their campsite where Shippo and Kirara waited for them.

The following morning the group began their way out of the forest they had made camp in and found themselves at the entrance of a small village. InuYasha followed them closely behind, his white dog ears twitching at the sounds of the village folk. He jumped down beside his companions and walked with them as they came into the first set of huts around the outskirts.

" Ah InuYasha, nice of you to make an appearence today, " Miroku stated, " what brings you our way?..."

" Oh be quiet monk, " InuYasha huffed as he trotted along beside them.

Miroku sighed once more but brushed it off as a village boy approached him. He inspected the odd group for a second, and his eyes grew very suspicious when they fell upon InuYasha, Shippo and Kirara.

" Who are you to bring such dangerous creatures into our village!?! " the boy demanded, the wary glint in his eye never leaving him.

" Forgive us if we appear threatening, but I can assure you my friends and I are of no danger to you at all, we merely come here to seek some suplies and maybe a place to stop for the night?..." Miroku answered to the boy.

" How can know that that's your _real _purpose here? " the boy questioned, his hands moving to the small sword he had hidden in his kimono.

InuYasha growled dangerously at the boy, clearly not helping the situation at all.

" InuYasha don't do anything rash, just let Miroku handle it, " Shippo snapped at him, " You'll probably just throw that boy to the ground and scare the living daylights out of the villagers! "

InuYasha growled once more, but managed to hold back a wack to Shippo's head, knowing deep down he was probably right. _Probably._

" Sora, that is enough my boy, I don't think they mean us any harm, " the voice of an elderly man came to the group's ears as they saw him place a hand on the accusing boy's shoulder.

The boy, apparently called Sora, nodded reluctantly and went back to his duties in the fields. The elder man turned to InuYasha and his friends apologectically.

" You must forgive my grandson, the village has only recently been able to keep the last demon who threatened us at bay, " the man informed them.

" That's quite alright, " Miroku told him.

" We shall set you up here for the night then, do make yourselves at home, " the elder said kindly, beckoning them into the nearby hut.

Miroku and the others followed him inside and set themselves down on the floor in the hut. A scent suddenly caught InuYasha's nose. _Blood. _

He looked into the next room of the hut to see a boy resting against the side of the wall, bandages wrapped round his chest and stomach, the blood from an apparent wound soaking through. The boy yelled out in pain.

The elder man motioned to his grandaughter, Rika, to help him get a new lot of bandages from the opposite hut. " Please excuse us guests, but would you just hold our dear Kentai boy steady while we re-wrap his wounds? "

" Certainly, " Miroku said as he, Sango and even InuYasha went into the next room, accompanied by Shippo and Kirara. Sango gently held the boys shoulders from the back while Miroku kept his arms at bay. The elder and Rika came back into the hut with fresh bandages and started to carefully peel back the old ones.

" Who ever treated this boy before did a very good job with wrapping his wounds, " Miroku said admiringly.

" Yes, " Rika replied, " a kindly miko came by our village and wrapped him up for us, she was also the one who got rid of the demon attacking our livestock. "

" A miko? " Miroku asked.

" Yes, a miko, don't usaully see to many of them wandering around here do you grandfather? " Rika asked the elder.

" No, we're lucky she was so kind and considerate with us, she took care of the wounded ever so carefully...such a lovely girl she was..."

Sango listened to this then noticed something. The way the old bandages had been wrapped...it seemed familiar. _" Almost like the way Kagome used to..."_

_" No! " _Sango wiped the thought from her head. Kagome was dead, there was no denying that...

InuYasha had listened with curiousity at the mention of a miko, and had also noticed like Sango that the way the bandages had been wrapped looked familiar. Upon first entering the hut, he thought for just a second he had caught a familiar scent..._Kagome's scent..._

He had shrugged it off, but now he had caught the scent again. It was all over the bandages, the boy and the room. The elder had mentioned a miko...

_No. _InuYasha stood up abruptedly and ran out of the hut. " InuYasha?..." Sango had called, but he had dissapeared.

Just outside the village, InuYasha was fuming silently to himself. Curse him for even_ thinking _that there was even the _slightest _chance that the miko had been Kagome! Why did he always do this to himself? Thinking of her like that had only caused him more pain and hurt...

He absentmindedly began running his clawed fingers over Kagome's neck tie in his Kimono.

Kagome was gone. Naraku had killed her, taken her away from him, never to come back. He had to accept that. The only thing he could do now for Kagome was ensure she was avenged...

**" HELP! DEMON! SOMEBODY HELP US!!! " **A screeching voice called from back in the village fields.

InuYasha turned his attention to the direction the sream had come from. There, in the fields next to the village came a giant, hideous demon. It was covered on thick, oozy grey slime, and had large, piercing red eyes. The stench emitting from it was putrid. It was slowly looming over to the village, intent it seemed on demolishing it. The villagers were racing away from the demon as fast as their legs would carry them, with the odd one or two staying behind to try and fend it off.

_" Fools, "_ InuYasha thought. _" That demon will kill them instantly, its stench alone is enough to do that! "_

InuYasha remembered his friends were still in the village. Fear gripped his heart for their safety as he bounded back towards the village, hoping to get to them before that demon did.

Back in the village, Miroku and Sango had leapt into action at the sounds of the approaching demon. They raced towards it ditermined to keep it from entering the village. Sango soared into the air with Kirara, while Miroku prepared his scared sutras from the ground. He planned to use his wind tunnel if necessary.

A few of the villagers including the elder had come to offer what help they could, notching their bow and arrows, ready to fire at the grotesque slime ball.

" Hiraikotsu! " Sango shouted as she launched her boomerang. It sliced through the demon's belly, but the wound healed as it was concealed with more slime.

" My turn! Sacred sutras! " Miroku yelled as he threw them at the demon. Again, a similar event followed. The demon came forward to whack Miroku away but Sango flew down on Kirara and got him away safely in the air.

" Ready men! Fire! " the village elder instructed as they all shot the slime demon at once. Again, it had little effect.

As the demon launched itself at the villagers, sending it's oozing arm flying towards them, a massive battle cry filled the air, as InuYasha his used his Tetsusaiga to slice straight through the demon's arm. The demon yelled in pain.

" YOU! " the demon cried at InuYasha as he brandished his sword once more, " YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!! " It came forward using its other arm to attack InuYasha.

InuYasha jumped out of the way, dodging each attack the demon sent at him and aiming his wind scar once again. The demon backed off suddenly, and seemingly retreated away from the village.

" Huh! " InuYasha said, holding his sword over his shoulder, " Whats the matter slime demon? Had enough already?? "

He had spoken to soon though, as a great mass of blackish-brown smoke came at him from inside the demon's mouth. The smog like smoke consumed InuYasha, and he nearly collapsed from the smell. It was so strong, and with his sensitive nose...

" INUYASHA! " Sango, Miroku and Shippo called from multiple directions. Sango placed her gas mask on, motioned for Miroku to hold on tightly as she went forward on Kirara at the demon. She jumped off Kirara's back and threw her Hiraikotsu through the smog, the sharp wind that followed disspersing it from InuYasha.

As Sango went to help InuYasha up, the began to come froward at the unprepared pair.

" SANGO! INUYASHA! " Miroku yelled as Kirara soared forward to help them. But they were too late, as the demon shot its killing arm at a terrified Sango and worn out InuYasha...

A sharp hiss was heard whizzing through the air, like when an arrow was shot, only louder. Everybody, InuYasha, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Shippo and the villagers looked up to see a flash of bright pink light soaring through the air and hitting the slime demon straight through its heart. It cried in agony as the impact completely destroyed him, scattering tiny bits of slime across the fields.

Everyone immediately turned to the direction that the _spiritual _arrow had come from. It was a little hazy but it eventually dissapeared, revealing a slender figure with flowing hair still poised with their bow and arrow.

" Ahhh...it seems our miko friend decided to stick around these parts for a litlle while anyway..." the village elder informed everyone. He turned to InuYasha and his group. " We are safe now, thankyou for your help. "

But InuYasha and his friends barely heard the elder man. Shock was evident on their faces and mouths were agape as they watched the figure who has fired the arrow come into clearer view. The figure lowered the bow finally, allowing them all to get a clear view of their face.

The figure, a woman, was dressed in red and white miko garb. She had long, black hair tied up in a white ribbon, whisps of it falling in her face. Most notible about her was her warm, brown eyes...

InuYasha knew those eyes anywhere...

_Kagome..._


	4. The priestess and her neko

**Please, keep telling me what you think!! **

**Heres, the next, chapter, enjoy!**

**The preistess and her neko**

Time was standing still for InuYasha and his friends. They barely heard the villager's cheers of victory.

The only thing that they could do was stare at the miko who had fired her arrow.

_Kagome._

The name kept on replaying through their heads, never stopping. It _was _Kagome before them. It _had _to be. She had the same hair, the same face, the same warmth in her eyes...though something was a little different. Her scent was also the same to the noses of InuYasha, Shippo and Kirara.

Reality came crashing down on them all however and broke them out of their temporary trance. Kagome was _dead. _There was _no _way that this girl could be her...could it?...

The girl infront of them turned around and began to walk away back into the forest.

" Ka..Kagome?... " Shippo whispered, reaching out a tiny hand in the retreating miko's direction, still unsure on wether his eyes decieved him or not.

While the others were on complete stand still, InuYasha slowly stood up from his spot on the ground. This miko..._it WAS Kagome!_

He could never mistake the way she looked at them. Only Kagome could look at someone like that, eyes so full of light and compassion...look at him with compassion...with care and with...

He brushed those thoughts aside, his senses awakening inside him once more. He had been so sure he'd seen Kagome die. There couldn't have been any way that she could have survived that fall...even if she had the wound Naraku gave her would have seen otherwise...

As the woman who looked so like Kagome began walking away from him, something inside him clicked.

_He couldn't loose her again._

He didn't know for sure wether this girl was Kagome or not, but he _would _out. He _had _to know. If it was, he'd never let her go again. _Ever._

He jumped forward and ran after her, ignoring the shouts from his friends.

Kagome walked along the forest path, hair blowing lightly in the breeze that surrounded her. Earlier she had decided to stick around the village who had been so kind to her for a while. For the past three days she had been sensing that slime demon and had known it was only a matter of time before it attacked.

When she managed to arrive at the scene, she recognised the villagers trying to fight off the demon. She didn't recognise, however, the group in the middle of the field defending the village aswell. _Travellers. _She had thought.

Then she had scensed the demonic aura emitting from three of the travellers. She had looked a little more properly at them from where they were and noticed that one of them was a nekomata...another a small kitsune, and the last...a dog demon?

There was somethin about that demon. The way he looked at her with those golden eyes...She had never seen such beautiful eyes...

She felt an uneasy presence about him, and she herself felt uneasy also. She was certain him and his friends were not a threat to the village though, infact they had been defending it from the demon, so she had decided to drop her curiousity and leave.

Now, though as she walked along the path, she sensed that golden eyed demon's presence once more. _Was he following her?_

She came to a hault when she heard a twig snap behind her, and whirled round to look behind her. That demon _was _there with her, probably hiding behind the trees...

InuYasha cuaght up with the miko. He knew she had sensed his presence and could smell the wariness emitting from her. He quickly jumped behind a tree as she turned round, her eyes darting around the place frantically. Her scent reached his nose. That was _definately_ Kagome's scent! He'd know it anywhere!

It surprised him when she readied her bow and arrow, and pointed it in his direction.

" Come out, I know your there..." She said.

That was Kagome. That was Kagome's voice.

" Come out and I won't harm you, " She said again.

InuYasha felt very excited, but did his best to keep it hidden.

Slowly InuYasha came out from behind the tree and faced her.

She smiled at him, and InuYasha took it as a good sign. It _was _Kagome! She _knew _who he was!

" I thought it was you, why are you following me half-demon? "

_What? Half-demon? _Since when did Kagome ever call him _that_?

" Ka...Kagome?..." InuYasha asked with a hint of worry now.

" Yea...wait...how do you know my name? " She asked him back, fear etched into her voice.

" Kagome?...you mean...you don't know who I am? " InuYasha asked. _She didn't recognise him?..._

" I...Who are you!?! " asked Kagome with a bit more force.

" Kagome...it's me...InuYasha...please tell me you remember..." InuYasha pleaded with him.

The miko thought to herself. She was getting a little scared now. How did this boy know her name? Had they met before? She didn't remember...She couldn't remember anything before the four months she had been travelling...This boy...he could be a threat after all for all she knew...

" Please...leave me alone now and I won't hurt you..." she asked him.

InuYasha didn't want to believe it. It was Kagome infront of him but she didn't know who he was...

He looked deep into her eyes once more. He saw loss and insecurity for the first time...like she didn't know _herself..._

Kagome met his eyes and looked deep into them. They were soo beautiful...but scarred somehow...as if he was sad...or had lost something important to him...they did seem a little familiar. The feeling dissapeared and the fear came back to her again when he through himself over her in a haste embrace. She screeched in surprise and her fear grew when she felt him bury his nose into her neck. _What was this boy trying to do? _

" Kagome..." he began, " you _have _to recognise me..."

Kagome ceased her squirming when she heard that. His voice sounded so sad...

She felt strangely safe in his embrace...like nothing could hurt her...but she shrugged it off. She couldn't get attached like that to _anyone..._

" Please...I...I'm sorry...I don't recognise you...just let me go..."

InuYasha felt his heart brake in two, his hopes demolished completely. He didn't notice when she finally got out of his arms and began to run away from him.

When he did notice, he ran after her. Wether she recognised him or not, she was _still _Kagome. He was willing to do anything to help her remember him again, and made a promise to himself that he'd never stop until he got _his _Kagome back and safe in his arms...

Kagome ran as fast as she could away from the half-demon who called himself InuYasha. She didn't feel he was a real threat to her so she didn't want to hurt him, but she could feel his emotional pain and didn't like what she felt...such pain...anguish...

The miko could suddenly sense him following her again. She looked over her shoulder as she ran, and saw him running after her, calling her name. The wariness about him grew and Kagome suddenly felt very afraid of him. She didn't notice that she'd come to the edge of a cliff in the forest and sreamed when she slipped over the edge...

" KAGOME!!! " InuYasha cried in fear and he ran to the edge of the cliff where she'd fallen. He saw her sliding down the edge nad immediately went down after her and managed to grab her hand.

Kagome opened her eyes and looked up at the one who had saved her. Fear instead of relief filled her heart.

" Let me go!! " she shouted to him."

" Like hell I will!! " InuYasha shouted back to her, " if I let go you'll fall to your death! You might actaully...die this time..." _How had she survived the first time?_

That would have to wait, as Kagome's hand began to slip through his fingers.

" I...I won't die! " Kagome told him, " I know I won't! "

" You're kidding, right!?! " Kagome had lost her mind...

" No I am not! Let me go! You'll see! "

" No Kagome! I _won't _loose you again! " InuYasha hissed at her, " just hold on! "

Kagome wondered what he'd meant by again. Nonetheless, she brushed that thought away. There was only one way he would let her go...she didn't want to do it to him but he was determined to hold onto her hand...

She looked up at him and into his eyes.

InuYasha met her eyes as she looked into his. They were the same warm, brown eyes he remembered, the ones he had missed so much...

" Boy...InuYasha..." Kagome began.

InuYasha felt a jolt when she finally said his name.

" I..please...just let me go...I'll be fine..."

" Kagome...I can't...I..." InuYasha paused, " I really...I couldn't bare to have you taken from me again...to see you die..."

Kagome sighed lightly.

_**" InuYasha..." **_A voice called inside InuYasha's mind, _**" you must let Kagome go..."**_

_" Like hell I will! " _InuYasha snapped back at the mysterious voice in his head, not stopping to think about who it could be.

" InuYasha? I...I'm sorry..." Kagome whispered to him.

" What are you sorry fo-..." InuYasha began but stopped when he saw what she was doing.

She was forcing her wieght down and out of his hand, trying to slip out of his grip. What the hell was wrong with her? Did she want to die again?? InuYasha didn't let her go though, instead he held on tighter. She had to use force, but she still didn't want to.

She reached her other hand up and clutched the one holding her. She let out a small amount of spiritual energy through her hand, not enough to seriously hurt InuYasha, but enough to get him to let go. It worked.

Out of sheer surprise from the slight burning feeling he felt, he let go of Kagome. She fell.

" KAGOME!!! NO! " InuYasha cried.

Before he could do anything another voice cried out.

" MISTRESS KAGOME!! "

A giant neko flwe over his head and down to Kagome. It had large ears and a long tail. InuYasha sighed in relief when he saw the cat catch Kagome on it's back and take her to safety on the other edge of the cliff. Kagome slipped off the cat's back and gratefully stroked the cat behind his ear.

" Well done Kari, " She whispered.

Kagome turned back to InuYasha on the other side of the cliff. She looked sympathetically at him before whispering something in the wind to him.

" Forgive me, InuYasha, but you must not follow..."

InuYasha barely had time to react before she hauled herself onto the back of the giant flying neko and took off away from him once more.

" KAGOME!! " InuYasha ran alongside the cliff until she was out of view behind the trees, still searching for her. He found none, and nearly collapsed into despair.

" KKKAAAGGGOOOMMMEEE!!!!!!!!! "

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**so, what did you think?**

**It may seem a bit confusing about Kagome and things but I assure you all will be explained properly in the oncomming chapters!**

**please review!**


	5. Kaede's Vision

**Right so yeah, the last chapter may have been a little confusing, but I asure it WILL be explained!**

**On we go then...**

**Kaede's vision**

Sango, Miroku and Shippo wern't sure what to say about the situation. A woman, who looked_ just _like their lost friend, had a similar aura to her _and _was a miko had saved them from the slime demon, and InuYasha had literally galloped after her. They had tried to stop him, knowing as much as they wanted to believe it, this miko just _couldn't _be Kagome. She was dead, long gone from this world of the living, they had seen her...seen it happen...there was _no _way she could have survived...right?...

InuYasha had finally made his way back to the village late at night. He hadn't come near them but they had sensed his aura. When Shippo and Kirara had finally sniffed him out, he'd refused to speak to them at all. His white, silver bangs covered his eyes and they sensed a great sadness comming from him. He spent all night out on the edge of the village fields.

" I wonder what happened?, " Sango asked inwardly as the small group sat and eat in the elder villager's hut, Kirara sitting comfortably on her lap.

" Who knows?...Maybe InuYasha couldn't find that miko again..." Miroku suggested.

" Maybe..." Sango began, "...but...Miroku? What if...you don't suppose...?"

" Sango, " Miroku said firmly, " that miko could _not _have been Kagome, it's just...impossible...lady Kagome is- "

" Dead. I know Miroku, " Sango snapped back at him, trying to bury the slight hope that had formed in her heart.

There was an awkward silence amongst them, until Shippo spoke up.

" I think...you're both wrong..." he whispered.

Miroku and Sango turned to look at him.

" All over InuYasha...there was a scent...the miko's scent...he did find her..." Shippo took in a deep breath, " it _was _Kagome he found...I _know _it..."

" Shippo don't, " Sango said with a little more force than she intended, but it didn't stop Shippo.

" No! I'd know Kagome's scent _anywhere_! It _was _her who saved us! It _was _Kagome InuYasha found! Thats why InuYasha was upset! She didn't come back with him! It- "

" SHIPPO! Thats enough..." Miroku ordered the young the Kitsune.

" I know...I know it's hard, " Miroku began, placing his hand on Shippo's small shoulder, "...but we have to think about this logically...there's _no _possible way to bring back the dead..."

Shippo shoved Miroku's hand off his shoulder. " NO! YOU'RE WRONG!!! " the wailing Kit yelled before running from the hut.

" Shippo! " Sango called, but was stopped by Miroku, who pulled her into a light embrace.

" Let him be Sango...it's hard for him to accept the truth...I'll admit that I myself had gathered a small amount of hope when I saw that miko..."

" Oh Miroku..." Sango said, letting out a small sob. She rested her head onto the monk's chest and silently cried into it, allowing her pelt up grief to consume her.

_ the next day _

The following morning the group made their way back to Kaede's village. Shippo hadn't said a word to them at all, and InuYasha remained as distant as ever.

InuYasha was angry with everyone at the moment, especially himself. When he'd found Kagome in the forest, he'd felt so happy and relieved to know she was safe and well. When she didn't recognise him, it had stung inside, but he convinced himself she would just a little time to remember. Then she had left him, again. His heart broke in two for the second time in just two days. He didn't want to talk about it to his friends, they wouldn't believe him. To escape any further pain, they would choose not to believe that Kagome was indeed alive. Alright maybe Shippo would, being the all skeptical and naive kid he was, but that wouldn't really help InuYasha. So instead InuYasha formulated a different plan alltogether.

He _would _go off in search of Kagome. He _would _find her. He didn't know what he would do when he did, but he as sure as hell wasn't going to let her leave his side again. He'd lost her once, and he wasn't about to loose her again. Kikyou had been enough, and he had made a sworn promise to protect Kagome at any cost, even if it cost him his life. He planned to stick to that promise. He _would _get Kagome to remember him somehow, even if he had to drag her back to her own time and back to proove it, and he'd do it _without _anyone else's help...

He planned to do just that when they got back to Kaede's village, but first he had to speak with the old miko.

When they finally arrived, they were a little surprised to find Kaede waiting for them. She beckoned them all into her hut, explaining that she had something very important to tell them all.

" Recently, I have been recieving strange visions...visions from my sister..." Kaede told them.

" From Kikyou? " Sango asked, perplexed.

" Aye, my sister Kikyou, " Keade replied.

" What were they about?, " Miroku asked curiously.

Kaede paused, not really sure how to explain what she had found out to the group, especially InuYasha.

" Just spit it out will ya? " InuYasha snapped.

" In these visions...my sister Kikyou spoke of Kagome..." Kaede finally spoke.

" What?!? " cried InuYasha, taken by surprise.

" Wha..What of lady Kagome?..." asked Miroku hesitently, Sango imitating his facial expression.

" Kagome...She is alive..."

InuYasha stood up abruptly.

_I knew it... _Shippo thought.

" Kaede, not you too..." Sango whispered.

" No. Ye must listen child. You've seen lady Kagome herself, am I correct? " Kaede questioned.

" You mean the miko who saved us? But that wasn't..."

" Did ye _feel _the aura that came from her? Was it not familiar? "

Sango and Miroku thought for a second...yes...it had felt like Kagome's aura...but still...

" My sister and the power within the shikon jewell itself saved Kagome from death. I have been informed by Kikyou's spirit that Kagome has an uncompleted mission that her, and her slone can only complete...so it was not her time to die..."

Miroku and Sango had disbelief written across their faces.

InuYasha spoke next.

" Why can't you two just believe it?!? Kagome _is _alive!! I met her in the forest..."

" Ye did? " asked Kaede.

" YES! I DID! It was Kagome! I saw it in her eyes! The way she looked at me! She..." InuYasha stopped, a slight blush rising in his cheeks.

" But she didn't know who you were? Did she? " Kaede asked.

" No...How did you know?..."

" Kikyou informed me that this would be the case...Kagome has no memory of her life before she was almost killed...though Kikyou failed to tell me why that is so..."

InuYasha growled.

" I'll make her remember! She can't have just forgotten about us! About me! I'm gonna find her and bring her back! " With that InuYasha ran out of the hut.

" Wait InuYasha! I'll come with you! " Shippo yelled after him, following in him in hot persuit.

Miroku and Sango couldn't believe what they were hearing.

" Kaede..." Sango stuttered, " It...it just can't be true...Kagome can't be alive..."

" Child, did ye ever find Kagome's body after she fell? " Kaede asked, looking both Sango and Miroku in the eye.

" Well...no...InuYasha only found her neck tie..." Sango replied.

" Then what if she _did_ survive the fall? The shikon no tama fell over that cliff just before her right? Isn't it possible that it's newly purified power helped to save her? Along with the last of Kikyou's will that had been left behind...don't you think it's a possibility?..."

Miroku and Sango thought for a second. They _did _desperately want to believe Kaede, Shippo and InuYasha. But what if they were wrong?...They didn't think they could handle such loss again...

The overwhelming feeling of joy at the possibility of Kagome's return took over them though, and they found themselves unable to _not _believe Kaede's words.

" Alright, " Miroku said standing up.

" Miroku? " Sango asked.

" I'm going with InuYasha and Shippo, Sango. I still don't know for sure if I can believe all this, but if there _is _a chance that Kagome _has _been saved from death, I'm going to help her remember too, I'd gladly help a friend as dear as Kagome any day, and I know you want to too Sango..." Miroku told her.

Sango nodded her head a little. He was right. She wanted to have Kagome back with her again so badly...have the girl who had become like a sister to her back again...she had said she wouldn't loose Kagome like she had Kohaku...

Sango made her decision.

" I'm comming to Miroku, " she said as she too stood up.

They bid their goodbyes to Kaede, before following after their friends into the sunset.

As InuYasha ran along, he could smell the scent of Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara following him. He smiled for the first time in months.

They _believed _him. He knew they wanted Kagome back with them to, but he guess now he understood their previous hesitation. They didn't want to be hurt again...they were afraid to hope...

InuYasha pushed those thoughts aside. He had to concerntrate on finding Kagome now, that was his first priority.

_" I'll find ya Kagome...and I'll never let anything happen to you again...I swear..."_

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**So, what did ya think? I know I might not have completely cleared up the plot involving Kagome's return, but it should become clearer as the story gos on!**

**Those last few paragraphs may seem a little bit...cheesy maybe?...well they do a little to me...I was listening to my sister watch fruits basket at the time...Tohru is just **_**so **_**nice...and Kisa **_**so **_**cute...sniffs**

**Anyway, please review! It's much appreciated!! **


	6. Whispers in the Wind

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy and please keep reviewing!**

**Whispers in the wind**

Kagome walked gracefully along the wide, open fields under the moonlight. Her neko demon companion, Kari, was trotting along beside her, occasionally glancing up at his mistress concernedly.

" Mistress? Are you sure you are unharmed? That could have been a terrible fall..." Kari asked Kagome.

Kagome glanced down at him. " I'm fine Kari, really, " she replied with a slight smile for reasurance.

Truth be told, Kagome didn't feel all that great at the moment.

When she had taken off on Kari's back and left that boy, InuYasha behind she had felt a strange and unfamiliar tug at her soul. The half-demon had looked so sad, so helpless, so heartbroken as she dissapeared behind the forest trees. She hadn't been able to tear her gaze away from him until he dissapeared from view. Kagome had heard his long, anguished cry of her name though. She hadn't been able to get the sound of his heart-wrenching out of her head. She felt guilt well up inside her for being the apparent cause of the boy's distress.

Kagome sighed. _" Who was he? " _Kagome asked herself mentally.

After another hour or so of searching, Kagome and Kari found a suitable tree to rest by for the night, and place Kagome sensed was safe from any demon attacks. Soon after setting herself down, Kari fell asleep on her lap, and Kagome followed in suit, drifting off into a not so peaceful slumber.

As she slept, a voice called out to her in her dreams.

_ Kagome's dream _

_**" You must not allow yourself to be distracted, child..."**_

In her dream state, Kagome turned around. She was in a field of bright and colourful flowers, a ray of sunlight casting over her, and light breeze circled her. Infront of her, stood a beautiful woman. She had straight, waist length black hair, and had somewhat of a grave look in her eyes, as if she'd lived and experienced many woes and bad happenings in her life.

_" Midoriko, " _Kagome stated, recognising the woman, _" have you come with more news for me? "_

_**" I come to warn you Kagome, " **_Midoriko said, _**" as I have told you before, distractions are not an option for one on such a dangerous mission.**_

_" What do you mean Midoriko? " _Kagome asked.

_**" Earlier today, when you met that half-demon...you felt for him did you not? "**_

_" What? No...I merely pitied him a little, nothing more..."_

_**" You are sure, child? "**_

_" Yes. "_

_**" Hmm...and you are aware what would be at stake should you allow yourself feel to much emotion? You know you cannot allow your mind to become clouded, it must stay focused of your mission..." **_Midoriko said, staring Kagome down.

_" I am perfectly aware, I will not allow my emotions to distract me, my mind is always fully focused on my mission..." _Kagome replied confidently.

_**" Very well then Kagome. Just remember how important it is for you to stay focused, you must keep your emotions under control. You are human, and I understand it is generally impossible for you to completely discard your feelings, but you must do your best with what you can do. Perform what help you can give to those around you, that is the duty of a priestess like yourself, but keep your mind stable and fixed on your given task Kagome. "**_

_" I will Midoriko. "_

_**" Good, " **_said Midoriko, smiling slightly, _**" but should you ever meet that half-demon again..."**_

_" I will do my best to avoid such a meeting... but I did not sense any real threat comming from him, and he did try to save me from falling...Midoriko? Do you know who he was?..."_

_**" I have...heard tales...but you musn't concern yourself with him for now...just concerntrate on your task...It's what you are here for, myself and your incarnation could never have saved you from death otherwise...Send my regards to Kari..."**_

With that Midoriko dissapeared and Kagome awoke with a start. The sun was rising infront of her.

_" Midoriko is right, "_ Kagome thought, _" I cannot allow myself to be distracted..."_

Kagome forced herself to concerntrate on the task she had been given. For the moment, she would have to forget about the half-demon she had encountered. He had told her he knew her, but he could have mistakened her for someone else, right?

Kagome sighed again. She hated not being allowed to express herself, her feelings. She was nighty curious about the half-demon and who he really was, but she was being forced to forget about him.

Kagome thought to herself again. She _must _have had a life before the four months she could remember, the four months she could _only _remember...anything before that was blank, completely blank...maybe she had known InuYasha...maybe those four other people he was fighting alongside aswell...

_**Flashback**_

_**" Kagome you're back! Did you bring anything for me?!? "**_

_**" Yep! Here ya go Shippo! " the girl said happily as she placed a small box of crayons into the kitsune's small hands.**_

_**" It's nice to see you again lady Kagome," came the voice of the anmourous monk.**_

_**" Yes, it's lovely to have you back with us Kagome! " the demon slayer told her, giving her a warm and welcoming smile...**_

_**End Flashback**_

Kagome shook her head and blinked for a few seconds. _What was that?_

_**" You cannot afford to get distracted child... " **_A familiar voice sounded in Kagome's head.

" I...I won't Midoriko..." she told the priestess, though she somehow doubted her own words.

Kagome looked down at Kari, stroking inbetween his large ears a little bit. Kari the neko demon had been with her as far back as she could remember._ A companion for her_, she had been told. Kari could help her with her mission, he could transform into a larger version of himself when his mistress was in any kind of danger (a/n like kirara, I know '). Kari had proved to be good company for her in her travels, as it did get a little lonely on her sometimes. She did wish she had others to talk to though. Kagome had been feeling that a large part of her was missing lately, lost to her.

She bet she knew the half-demon with the answers too.

Maybe when she had completed her set mission, she could go and find him again, maybe he could help her remember her forgotten past...

Until then, she would have to hope to avoid him, and so avoid getting distracted again.

From a little way behind Kagome, a pair of peering eyes watched her very move. The wasp like creature the eyes belonged to flew off into the direction of its master.

Naraku was sitting in a small cave that was hidden behind a huge waterfall. The half-spider demon had scars from burns covering his entire body, and with the shikon no tama gone from his body he was in a more vulnerable state than ever.

" Curse you Kagome! " Naraku hissed, " the last four months have been hell! "

Suddenly, one of Naraku's only remaining servants, the wasp like demon who had been watching Kagome came buzzing into Naraku's cave. It buzzed out to Naraku what it had discovered.

" WHAT!?! THAT DAMN MIKO IS _ALIVE_!?!!! " Naraku shouted, forgetting in his moment of rage to keep a low profile. _" How is this possible!?! "_

No. The miko who had foiled his last plans with the shikon-no-tama couldn't be alive, it _wasn't _possible...was it?...

No! He had killed her himself! sent her over that cliff to her doom...

His faithful pet had never been wrong before though.

" Keep an eye on this miko you found! " he instructed the wasp demon.

If Kagome was indeed alive, he'd insure she wouldn't remain that way for very long... This time she wouldn't be able to stop him, she'd be long gone and dead before then!

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**Yeah that chapter was a bit shorter than the rest, sorry...**

**please keep going with reviews though! thanks!**


	7. Sango and Kagome

**Okay here's tha next chapter!**

**Review and enjoy!**

**Sango and Kagome**

InuYasha and his friends had been searching for three days straight looking for Kagome. Nor InuYasha, Shippo or Kirara could pick up her scent anywhere, it was like she had dissapeared. They were determined not to give up though, InuYasha especially. He knew he had seen Kagome, spoken with her, touched her, and he refused to rest when she with the thought that she might be in some kind of danger on her own, though she did have that strange looking neko with her...

The group were eventually forced to stop and make camp for the night on the edge of a new forest they had discovered. Each one of them were taking turns in guarding the camp should a demon come out of the forest during the night.

Miroku joined Sango when it came to her turn and sat with her. " Why do you think we havn't been able to find a trace of Kagome's whereabouts? " Sango asked him.

" I don't know Sango..." Miroku replied. It was true he wasn't even sure for certain that he believed Kagome was really alive again, he really only had InuYasha and Kaede's words to go on. He had seen that miko though, that they all had seen. The miko had looked _so _like Kagome aswell, and Miroku wanted Kagome back with them as much as the next person.

A thought struck Miroku.

" Maybe...Maybe lady Kagome is hiding herself..." Miroku suggested, running the theory over in his head.

" What do you mean? " Sango asked, intrigued.

" It is possible that Kagome, being a miko, is hiding her scent and aura spiritually, perhaps so rogue demons will not smell her out. "

" Could Kagome really perform such an act? She never did before..."

" Kagome had powers within herself that she didn't know she possessed...I expect it is possible for her to do so..." Miroku explained.

" I guess that's true..." Sango said bluntly.

Sango was worried, nearly as much as InuYasha. If her best friend and sister was really out there somewhere, then she would be in danger on her own. What if she was hurt and in need of help?

Sango pushed those thoughts aside though, and tried not to worry herself to much over it.

Up on his perch in the tree, InuYasha was thinking to himself about Kagome again. He'd notebly be doing alot of that lately...

What if Kaede was right? What if Kagome truly had forgotten them all? Would he be able to handle such grief?...Why _had _Kagome been saved? What did fate have planned for her?

He was okay with the fact she was alive and not dead, but it worried him still at what the purpose of those actions was. It worried him even more that he couldn't be along side at the moment, that he couldn't keep her safe from harm, that he couldn't protect her...

" InuYasha! " Someone called out to him. InuYasha looked down to the ground to see Shippo waving his arms madly him. He looked over to Sango, Miroku and Kirara to find them all in battle mode. Then InuYasha sensed why. A demonic aura was heading straight toward their camp from the forest...

InuYasha jumped down from the tree, brandished the Tetsusaiga, stood by Miroku and Sango then inwardly cursing himself for not realising the danger at hand earlier. Shippo ran behind them, as they all stood ready with their weapons, awaiting the demon's appearence.

Out of the trees, there came a shrill cry followed by a great looming shadow. A giant bird like demon, resembling that of a large eagle in size but a vulture in appearence swooped over them, brandishing its mighty talons.

Shippo yelled out in fright and Kirara hissed. The great bird came swooping down to them, its claws looking ready to grab something in its grasp. The group were forced to separate and jumped away from the bird's path. InuYasha looked up in time to see Shippo being chased away from them by the demon, wailing like a banshee. Sango saw this and sprung into action.

" HIRAIKOTSU!! " She bellowed as she threw her boomerang at the demon, swirftly knocking it off course from Shippo. The demon screeched in surprise and turned round to face Sango as she caught back her weapon. It completely forgot about Shippo, and instead went for the demon slayer.

Before Sango could launch her weapon again the demon had her in its grip, bringing her higher and higher into the sky.

" Sango! " yelled InuYasha as he realised he couldn't use the wind scar with the danger of hitting her.

" SANGO! NO! " Miroku yelled as he ran in the direction the great bird was taking the woman he loved. The bird demon soon slipped out of view though, as Sango was taken deep into the forest and into the direction of the bird's nest.

" NO! " Miroku continued to yell when he realised what the bird planned to do with Sango.

InuYasha growled in frustration. They had to find Sango fast, before she was possibly eaten alive.

" Let's go Miroku! " He yelled to the monk, only to find he was already half way on the bird's tail on Kirara, Shippo on his shoulder. InuYasha ran after them into the dark and unknown forest.

Sango had managed to grab her sword and began trying to slash her way out of the great bird's grasp. She was able to stap its foot, and it wailed out in pain, finally releasing her. Sango began fell to the ground in pain. She hurt all over from the force of the fall, aswell as the claws the demon had dug into her side. The pain was imense, and she struggled to stay conscious. She soon blacked out.

Out of the shadows came a figure. She'd heard the sreams of the demon and a woman and decided to investigate. She gasped as she layed her eyes on the horrific state of the demon slayer infront of her. She rushed over and checked for a pulse.

" What did you find mistress Kagome?!? " Came the worried call of Kari.

" A woman, " Kagome said as she sighed in relief at finding a heartbeat, " She's badly injured but aliive! "

Kari came over to her side and sniffed the slayer. " She smells of the great demon bird clan from the mountains! "

" Probably would have found herself the demons' dinner if she hadn't gotten away, " Kagome said as she inspected the woman's wounds. She had several deep gashes in the side of her abdomen and her front was badly bruised, sopposedly from a fall.

" Lets get her back to the river, I can clean and wrap her wounds there, " Kagome said as she gently raised the woman's head, " Kari, can you carry her over there on your back while I hold her on? "

Kari nodded as he transfromed into the larger neko from before and bent down to allow Kagome to place the woman onto his back. Kagome climbed on after to make sure she didn't fall off as Kari bounded off in the direction of the river they had been staying at for the night.

Miroku and InuYasha had heard the bird demon's cry of pain and Sango's scream as she fell from deep in the forest. They could only quicked their pace and hope to find her somewhere up ahead and unharmed. Their efforts were prooving futile though as they could find no trace of their demon slayer friend anywhere.

Sango fluttered her eyes open slowly as she lightly groaned in pain. She turned her head to see a small amount of sunlight peering through the dense forest she found herself in, signifying an early sunrise. It was still mainly dark. Wait...Where was she?

She was leaning against something warm and cosy and recognised the sound of a river flowing nearby. She looked down upon herself to find that her wounds from earlier had been cleaned and carefully bandaged up with some fine, white cloth.

" Mistress! She has awakened! " Came a voice from behind her. Sango turned her head around slightly to find she was resting against a giant cat! _" Kirara?..." _Sango thought.

Someone suddenly lightly touched her forehead with a warm, gentle hand. Sango blinked to clear her vision a little to find herslef staring into the face she least expected to see. She blinked a few times to make sure her eyes weren't decieving her. She found they weren't.

It wasn't possible...She didn't _ever _think she'd find herself looking into those warm brown eyes again, the eyes that were always so full of life, light and compassion...

_Kagome..._

InuYasha and his remaining friends had been searching all night long for Sango, and were growing increasingly worried when they found no trace of her, Miroku more so.

_" Grrr Where are you Sango?!? " _InuYasha growled under his breath trying to hide his concern from the others.

" Ka...Kagome?!? " Sango stuttered.

The woman blinked a few times in surprise at how she'd known her name, but shrugged it off.

" Umm...I've wrapped up your wounds for you, I had some spare cloth inside my kimono and a few herbs that I have collected, and you don't appear to have caught a fever in the night so I'd say that with a little rest you're going to be fine, " Kagome told Sango while smiling, glad she was alright.

This woman suddenly looked familiar...Had they met before?...

Kagome didn't think so but then she remembered something. _" The slime demon! "_

She had been one of the people fighting of the slime demon that had attacked the elder's village that day! The demon slayer!..._InuYasha's friend..._

" What...What is your name? " Kagome asked Sango gently.

" Huh? Kagome you know..." Sango stopped in mid-sentence. Kaede had said that Kagome had no memory of who they were who who _she _had been...

" Kagome, do you recognise me? " Sango asked her, a hint of worry in her eyes.

" You...You were the demon slayer who was with InuYasha that day...I met him in the forest...I am sorry but I don't know your name though..." Kagome said apologetically.

" Oh..." Sango said, sadness filling her heart. _" This must be how InuYasha feels..."_

" My name...is Sango..." Sango told Kagome. It felt wierd telling Kagome that, as if she were speaking to her for the first time. Sango was hurt that Kagome didn't know who she was...but didn't know who any of them was...she probably didn't remember _anything _from before...

_" I have to try and help her " _Sango decided. She tried to sit up properly but found her injuries prevented her from doing so.

" No! You musn't move! Move to soon and you'll open up those wounds again..." Kagome said hastily, gently pushing Sango back against Kari.

" Have...Have you seen my friends anywhere? What about that bird demon? " Sango asked after she leaned back down.

" No I'm sorry I haven't, " Kagome said sadly, " I wouldn't worry about that bird demon, or any demon for that matter though. "

" How come? "

" I have put up a barrier that hides both our aura and scent. "

_" So Miroku was right about how she'd been hiding..." _Sango thought. She looked at Kagome. She was dressed differently, wearing the same clothes Kikyou once had, but other than that she hadn't changed. She had the same hair, the same skin, the same eyes...she _was their _Kagome...even if she didn't know it. Sango suddenly had the desire to hug the friend she thought she had lost forever, and suddenly felt filled with a slight joy.

" Ka...Kagome? Will...Will my friends be able to find me? " Sango asked her.

Kagome smiled gently. " Yes they will find you. I can sense them nearby actually, so I'll put the barrier down in a minute. "

Kagome knelt down to Sango and with the help of Kari she leaned Sango back against a tree. Kagome suddenly remembered that _InuYasha_ was of Sango's friends. She couldn't see him again, last time it had caused her to become distarcted...to emotional...she couldn't afford to loose control of them again! She _had _to concertrate of the mission that Midoriko had set her and nothing else!

" Are you alright against there? " Kagome asked Sango.

" Yes, thankyou Kagome..." replied Sango.

Kagome nodded before standing up and beginning to walk away in the opposite direction.

" Hey! Where are you going? " Sango asked alarmed, " don't you want to see InuYasha?!? "

Kagome stopped and looked back at the woman. She _did _want to see InuYasha...Whenever she remembered his golden eyes and the way he had looked at her she felt a strange floating sensation in her stomach...and a tingle down her spine that she couldn't explain...

As much as she wanted to see him, she knew she couldn't, it might jeapordise everything if her mind was to become clouded again...

" Send him my apologies, but I'm afraid I cannot see him again, nor can he me..." Kagome said sadly, her eyes cast down, her heart telling her the complete opposite. She turned away and began to walk away again until she felt something. _" InuYasha's aura! " _

Quick as lightening Kagome took down the barrier hiding Sango and ran off in the opposite direction, Kari following in persuit.

Sango barely had time to call her name before she heard several voices and a meow call her own. She turned her head to see Miroku and InuYasha bounding towards her with Kirara and Shippo.

" Sango! Are you alright?!? " asked a concerned Miroku as he knealed beside her.

" Ye..Yeah...I'm fine...my wounds will heal..." Sango said slowly.

" Hey Sango, you okay? You look kinda pale..." InuYasha pointed out. He sniffed the air...he smelt something familiar...

InuYasha's eyes widened with shock as he recognised the scent and the way Sango's wounds had been wrapped up.

" Sango! Kagome was here, wasn't she?!? " he asked her forcefully.

" InuYasha? " Shippo asked worriedly.

" She was wasn't she?!? " InuYasha asked.

Sango nodded her head slowly, about to tell him what Kagome had told her about the two of them but found he had already scampered off into the direction Kagome had dissapeared to.

" Kagome was here!?! " Shippo asked exitedly.

Sango didn't answer though, she could only stare off in the direction InuYasha went.

InuYasha ran as fast as his legs would carry him, hoping he could catch up with Kagome before she flew off on that neko demon again.

_" Kagome please! Wait for me! Don't you run away from me again damnit! "_

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**So how was that chapter?**

**i'm eager to know what you think! please review and let me know! Thanks.**


	8. Heart's true desire

**thanks for the massive amount of reviews!**

**ok there may have been some confusion in the last few chapters, you know things envolving Naraku, Kikyou, Kari etc but it will be explained!**

**Heart's true desire**

Kagome could sense InuYasha behind her, so she ran faster. Damn her stupidiness, why hadn't she flew away on Kari when she had had the chance?!? It was too late now, he'd see her.

Kagome did the only thing she could. She ran behind a great tree and concerntrated on hiding herself and Kari spiritually, in hopes that InuYasha would give up and run away. How wrong she was to even _hope _that.

InuYasha came to a small clearing in the forest, where very large trees stood. He had had Kagome's scent for sure, but it had dissapeared suddenly. He didn't think she was far away though, he would have seen her if she'd flown away on that neko. Maybe she was hiding behind one of the trees...

As InuYasha came closer to her tree, Kagome's heartbeat quickened at an alarming rate. _" Oh please don't let him find me! "_ she preyed.

InuYasha got closer still, and Kagome could fully sense his unique aura. She could feel those golden eyes on the back of the tree she was hiding behind. Kagome knew he couldn't sense her there, but he still seemed to know she was there all the same. Kagome couldn't resist it, she ever so lightly turned her head to look at him. He wouldn't see her with such a little turn, but she would see him. Kagome found the golden eyes she had been seeking, and couldn't look away. They held her in a trance, those eyes. They held so much inside them, so much hidden emotion. Why did he hide his emotions like that?

InuYasha thought for a second he'd seen a strand of black hair flash from behind that tree. He serged forward to investigate

Kagome snapped out of her trance when she saw him sprint forward. She couldn't stop him finding her now, and she had no way in hell enough time to run.

Before he found her, Kari jumped out from behind the tree. He had transformed to his full size and stood growling at InuYasha, hiding Kagome from view. Kagome took this as a distraction, and she thanked Kari gratefully as she took off once more back into the forest.

" Hey! You better move neko! You're in my way! " InuYasha demanded the cat demon.

Kari still stood firm though, baring his teeth at InuYasha.

" Look! I know Kagome is back there and if you don't let me see her I'm going to have to force you! " InuYasha concluded, brandishing his sword and pointing it at Kari.

Kari growled back at him and the sword. He noticed Kagome had made her escape though so he took off after her.

" Hey! " InuYasha shouted, " Get back here! "

Kari dissapeared into the trees. InuYasha looked behind that tree finally, to see that Kagome wasn't there at all.

" Damnit! " InuYasha yelled punching the tree trunk with his fist, his head bowed and bangs covering his eyes. He realised now that that neko had only been a distraction so Kagome could get away. How could he have been so dense?

_" Why Kagome? Why don't you want to see me? " _

InuYasha was cut off from his thoughts when he heard a scream comming from deep in the forest. Fear instantly gripped his heart.

" Kagome! " he yelled as he ran in the direction of the scream.

_ with Kagome _

Kagome had unknowingly ran straight into a demon's territory. She had been so busy thinking about Kari and InuYasha to notice where her feet had carried her. _" Stupid girl! " _She inwardly cursed herself as she readied her bow and arrow.

Two large demons came at her. They resembled that of spiders only with large pincers that they had either side of them. They had large, red eyes aswell, and lots of them.

Before they got to close, Kagome fired a warning shot at them. This didn't seem to stop their rampage though, and they moved closer to her still. Kagome backed away a little and notched another arrow. She couldn't run, she'd never get away fast enough, they'd catch her for sure.

" Don't think we will deny ourselves meat when it wonders so willingly into out territory! " One of the spider demons yelled at her ( reference to harry potter book 2! )

Kagome could only prey Kari would find her soon as she fired another arrow. The spiritual force of the arrow knocked one of the great spider's legs clean off, and it roared in agony as it fell to the floor. The other still standing demon whirled on her.

" YOU WRETCH! YOU HURT MY MATE! YOU WILL PAY!! " It roared spitting venom at Kagome as it prepared to attack her.

Kagome backed away in fear. She was done for now...

The demon shot something at Kagome from the smaller pincers at its mouth. It was a large, prehensile toungue like spike that shot Kagome through the side of her abdomen, narrowly missing her stomach. Kagome screamed in pain as she collapsed to the floor. The demon pulled its toungue like spike out of her and chuckled in victory as it watched the blood seep out of Kagome.

" MISTRESS!! " Kari yelled as she carefully moved Kagome out of the demons attack range before it could completely finish her off. The neko gently manuevered Kagome so she was laying on the ground underneath him and out of harms way. Kari then turned round and growled fiercely at the spider like demon, prepared to protect his mistress at all costs.

The spider demon lunged forward again in fury, brandashing its prehensile spike once more, the tip of it still dripping with Kagome's blood. It thrusted it toward Kari, intent on striking the neko's heart. A loud howl was suddenly heard through the air.

" BACKLASH WAVE!!! " InuYasha roared as he through the attack at the spider demons. They both howled in pain before disentegrating before them all, turning to dust.

InuYasha pushed his sword back into its heath before turning to Kari. His heart froze when he laid his golden eyes on Kagome.

" KAGOME!! " He yelled as he made his way over to her. Kari stepped infront of him though, still standing over Kagome and refusing to let InuYasha touch his mistress.

InuYasha was taken back by this but he still growled at Kari in return, also brandishing his fangs.

" Look neko! She'd hurt and bleeding badly! You _have _to let me take her with me! I know a place where she can get help! " InuYasha told Kari.

" How do I know you can be trusted with my mistress?!? " Kari retaliated.

" Oh so you do speak then? " InuYasha replied sarcastically. He ceased his growling though and his eyes softened when he heard Kagome moan in pain. Kari's ears drooped when he heard her.

" Look, please! You've gotta let me take her! I promise I won't hurt her in any way! Thats the very _last _thing I would ever do to her! " InuYasha pleaded with the neko.

" You mean like how you protected her from Naraku before?!? " Kari snapped.

" No! Not like...wait...how do you know about that?!? " InuYasha asked surprised.

" That is none of your business half-demon! " Kari snapped once more.

InuYasha growled again.

" While we're here arguing Kagome's life is at stake! I know you don't trust me but you have to let me help her! Who else is going to?! If I take her she'll at least have a chance!! " InuYasha said forcefully.

Kari knew the half-demon was right, Kagome didn't really stand a chance alone. Reluctantly, Kari stood off from over Kagome, still keeping his eyes on her and InuYasha at all times.

InuYasha looked thankfully at Kari for a moment, before knealing down to gently pick Kagome up. He took off his haori and wrapped it over her before holding her to his chest and standing up, preparing to leave.

" Wait, half-demon, " Kari ordered him.

InuYasha turned ready to retaliate at the neko again but felt surprised when he saw him lean down slightly infront of him.

" What are you- " Kari cut him off.

" I can get you to wherever you need to be faster than you could alone, hop on my back with her. "

InuYasha looked hesitant, but another moan from Kagome changed his mind and he quickly climbed onto the neko's back, still clutching Kagome tightly to him.

Kari stood and jumped gracefully into the air, taking off in the direction InuYasha instructed him.

Miroku had been helping Sango walk back to their camp. She was limping slightly and needed to lean on Miroku for support, which he was only to happy to allow. Kirara walked steadily alongside them with Shippo.

" Are you gonna be alright Sango? " Shippo asked when Sango winced in pain.

" I'm going to be fine Shippo, just need to rest a little while that's all, " Sango replied with a reasuring smile on her face.

" Miroku! Sango! " a voice shouted from above them.

They all looked up to see InuYasha riding on large flying...neko???

_" The neko that was with Kagome, " _thought Sango.

Then Sango noticed that InuYasha was holding something to his chest, something wrapped tightly in his haori...

" Kagome! " Sango yelled as the neko landed on the ground infront of them.

" Kagome! InuYasha what did you do to her?!? " Shippo yelled at him when he saw Kagome's bad shape.

" I didn't do anything runt! Miroku! Where's the nearest village?!? " InuYasha demanded.

" I..." Miroku was still in shock at seeing Kagome with InuYasha.

" It...It's back at Kaede's village, " Miroku said finally, mouth lightly agape.

" Right, I'm gonna take Kagome over there! Take Sango on Kirara and get her back there too! " InuYasha ordered, before setting off back on Kari with Kagome.

" Yes...right away! " Miroku said as he eased himself and Sango onto Kirara's side.

When InuYasha reached Kaede's village he jumped off of Kari and ran to Kaede's hut. Kaede heard InuYasha's cries and was shocked to see him come bursting through the hut carrying a limp Kagome in his arms.

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**So there you go, what do think?**

**EVERYTHING will be explained properly in later chapters! **


	9. Awakening

**On we go...**

**( a special thankyou to moonlightshadow 123 for your reviews! )**

**Awakening**

InuYasha was sitting by Kagome's side, holding her hand as she slept. Kaede had wrapped her wounds in bandages and informed InuYasha she may be out cold until tommorow morning sometime. That worried him.

Sango and Miroku had returned on Kirara late last night, Kirara apparently not as fast as Kari. Kaede had re-wrapped her wounds aswell and she'd been resting against Kirara all night. Miroku had been sitting next to her since she'd fallen asleep, but at the same time looking warily at InuYasha and Kagome.

_Kagome really was alive..._

Shippo went to the other side of Kagome, his large eyes watching Kagome intently, tears in his eyes as he did so.

_" Please be alright Kagome..."_

Kagome was covered in a thick blanket as well as InuYasha's haori. Her hair spanned out around her as she lay by the fire on the hut floor. Kaede had been lightly dipping her head with a damp cloth when beads of sweat had formed on her forehead, apparently in pain.

The villagers had gathered outside the hut after hearing rumours that the young miko from the future was alive and inside recovering from injuries. Kari had been guarding the hut though, and refused to let any of them inside to see his mistress.

At early morning, Sango had woken up to see Kagome laying motionlessly by the fire. She tried to stand and walk over to her but was stopped by a worried Miroku who brought her down to his chest and hugged her loosely, glad she was alright.

They sat anxiously all watching Kagome for the rest of the night, preying she would wake up soon. Sango was almost dreading it though. She would be happy to know Kagome was well and awake, but she was also worried about her reaction to them all. She didn't remember them, and Sango supposed it might be a little scary for her to wake up in a room full of strangers to her mind.

_They had to get her to remember them again, they just had to..._

InuYasha watched Kagome all night, lightly rubbing a clawed hand over hers to keep it warm. He looked at her face. It felt good to know Kagome was safe and back with him again, safe from harm...at least for the moment...

What would she do when she awoke? Would she try and run away from him again?...

InuYasha preyed she wouldn't, they all did. They'd just gotten one of their closest friends back, and they weren't prepared to let her go again all that easily. InuYasha had lost Kikyou a while back, after promising he'd protect her from him. He had failed to do that and it had cost Kikyou her life. He hadn't wanted to make the same mistake with Kagome...he couldn't loose another woman he loved...

He made a promise to stay by Kagome at all costs, no matter what she said. Damned be that neko demon Kari if it tried to stop him again.

At that moment Kagome started to stir. She weakly opened her brown eyes as everyone sat up and watched her anxiously. Kagome took in her surroundings and found she wasn't in the forest with Kari anymore.

" Ka..Kagome?..." InuYasha called to her. Kagome recognised that voice and turned her head on the futon towards the source of the sound, and her eyes met with golden ones.

" Inu...Yasha?..." She asked quietly, the confusion rising in her voice. Where was Kari? Where was _she?_

" Ye will do well not to speak Kagome, save your energy..." Kaede instructed her gently.

Kagome looked at the older miko and then around the hut she found herself in. She noticed the woman she had aided before, along with a handsome young monk and a nekomata that reminded her of Kari. Kagome turned to her side to see a young fox kitsune looking at her with loving eyes. On her other side was InuYasha, who she noticed was holding her hand. That caused her to blush and so did InuYasha when he saw she noticed. He dropped her hand hastily.

" Where...Where am I?...Why did you bring me here InuYasha?..." Kagome asked slowly, remembering what Midoriko had warned her about, " Where's Kari? "

" Kagome...you're in a village...Kaede's village, " InuYasha pointed out, motioning with his head toward Kaede slightly, " I...me and Kari brought you back here last night...you were injured by that spider demon...Kari's just outside..."

" You...you saved me?..." Kagome asked.

" I'd never just leave you like that Kagome..." InuYasha said warmly, his eyes looking straight into hers.

Kagome felt her heart flutter at the way he looked at her.

_" Why do I feel like this when he does that?..." _Kagome asked herself.

" Mistress! " came the neko's voice as a normal sized Kari came through the hut and nuzzled Kagome's cheek lovingly.

" I thought I'd lost you mistress Kagome! " Kari sqealed in happiness.

Kagome smiled and closed her eyes once more, her whole body still aching for more sleep. She drifted off into a deep slumber once again. She knew she shouldn't be with InuYasha, and as soon as she was well enough she'd leave again, but for now she decided to accept InuYasha and his friend's hospitality. He had saved her after all, and for some strange reason it felt right...it felt right to be in the hut with all of these people...it almost felt like she _knew _them...

When Kagome feel asleep again, Kari curled up next to her laying his head on her shoulder. InuYasha was glad she was alright, and felt even better when she hadn't tried to get away from him or anything. When he was sure the others weren't looking he leaned down with his hand and wiped a few stray hairs from her face. He noticed something peering slightly through her white priestess kimono.

" Kaede? Is that from the demon that attacked her? " He asked the elder miko. Kaede peered down at what InuYasha had noticed and pulled back her kimono alightly, revealing a long, steady scar on Kagome's chest. InuYasha and Shippo, who had also been watching gasped slightly.

" No, that is not from the spider demon...this scar is dry from blood and quite old..." Kaede answered him.

" I wonder...I wonder if this is the scar that Naraku left upon her when she fell from the cliff..."

InuYasha studied the scar a little. He was pretty sure Kaede was right. It was a deep, blood red scar that stretched from her right shoulder and to just above her breast. It was _exactly _where Naraku had pierced her all those months ago.

He'd kill that bastard when they crossed paths again...

_" Kagome...you've suffered so much because of what he did to you...because I couldn't save you..." _InuYasha thought to himself, his ears drooped down slightly.

_" Naraku, you WILL pay! "_

_ the next day _

Sango had been up and about once again, helping Kaede gather some herbs for the village. Shippo was out with Miroku apparently running some 'errands' as he put it.

InuYasha still hadn't left Kagome's side and neither had Kari. InuYasha had a few questions for the neko demon.

" Who are you neko? How did you meet Kagome? " InuYasha asked him flat out.

The neko looked up at him drowsily and yawned. " I am Kagome's protector, "

Kari said sleepily.

_" I'M supposed to protect her! " _InuYasha growled, which Kari took notice of and grinned a little, slightly amused at the half-demon's reaction to that.

" Who decided that? " InuYasha spat out arrogantly.

" The shikon jewell itself, " Kari replied smugly.

" What? The jewell?!? " InuYasha asked surprised, " How? "

Kari looked at him with one eye open, nestling himself deeper into Kagome's shoulder.

" You may know that the jewell was created many a year ago, by the priestess Midoriko, " Kari said bluntly.

" I've heard rumours, " InuYasha replied, just as bluntly.

" Yes...well, the soul of Midoriko exists inside that jewell. When Kagome was nearly killed and fell from that cliff, the soul inside the jewell sort of...well...sensed she was in danger..."

InuYasha listened intently as Kari continued.

" The jewell had been tossed into the river where Kagome had fallen, and its light saved her, Midoriko's soul, her spirit in the jewell saved her...with the help of another that is..."

" Who? " asked InuYasha.

" The miko who lost her life also to that Naraku...Kikyou her name was..."

InuYasha froze. _" Kikyou? "_

" The miko had left some of her own spiritual light inside Kagome it seemed, and it took action to save her when she was in danger...but at a cost..."

" What? " InuYasha asked.

" As you may have noticed, Kagome cannot remember her past...Midoriko's spirit and Kikyou's light purposely did this..."

" What?!? Why?!? " InuYasha demanded.

" Kagome has a mission to complete that I am to acompany her on, a mission that was previously given to Kikyou but she failed to complete it...she would never choose to leave the life and friends she had known unless they could assist her...which they cannot...

" Emotions would be a problem aswell. Midoriko knew the feelings Kagome had for her friends and figured they would cloud her mind so she would be unfocused...a miko's powers are like that, less powerful when emotions take over the mind... So, reluctantly, Midoriko sealed Kagome's memories inside the jewell itself, this being the only way she could complete the mission at hand without flaw...I was created to assist her, protect her along the way...I am a mixture of Midoriko, Kikyou and Kagome's will...born to help, assist and keep a certain miko company along her journey..."

InuYasha felt anger build up inside him. So Midoriko had taken Kagome's memeories away from her and sealed them inside the jewell? Kikyou's remaining light had saved Kagome...and Midoriko had literally forced Kagome to go on some mission that Kikyou was unable to complete in her time?! How _dare _Midoriko do that to Kagome!!

" What kind of mission?!? " InuYasha asked angrily.

Kari yawned once more.

" Ahh...that I cannot tell you...only that it involves the jewell and Naraku himself..." Kari said, " Now if you will excuse me I need my sleep..."

" WHAT?! Sleep?!? Oh no you don't runt!! Tell me wha- " InuYasha was cut off by Kari's steady snoring beside Kagome.

_" Grrr damn that cat! " _InuYasha growled inwardly. If Kagome was supposed to go on some mission that involved Naraku _and _the jewell then she would be in great danger! InuYasha couldn't loose Kagome again! He'd only just gotten her back! Even if she still didn't know him...

He'd get that miko Midoriko to unseal her memories! He'd do that if it was the last thing he'd _ever _do!!

InuYasha sighed again and looked at Kagome's face. She looked so peaceful...her calm and beautiful face seemingly glowing in the fire light...it was almost as if none of this had happened...Kagome had never fallen from that cliff...she'd never forgotten them all...they were still on their quest and searching for Naraku like before...back before any of this mess had happened to them...

InuYasha gently ran his hand down the side of Kagome's face, rubbing it slightly. He wouldn't let Kagome go on her own again, even if she had some stupid mission to complete. He'd kill himself if he let her suffer any more than she had...

_" Kikyou? Why did you let Midoriko do this to Kagome? Why didn't you stop her?... "_

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**So what did you think? Did that clear things up a little or did that make it worse? let me know!**


	10. InuYasha's plea and Naraku's return

**InuYasha's plea and Naraku's return**

Kagome awoke again the next day, feeling fully rested and re-charged. The first thing she noticed was that someone was laying across her, apparently asleep.

_" InuYasha? "_

Kagome blushed at the way he was sprawled out over her. She assumed his current position on top of her wasn't deliberate, he'd just dozed off unknowingly. That didn't stop the pleasurable shivers that ran up her spine though...

Kagome shook her head and inwardly cursed herself for thinking such thoughts. _" Remember what Midoriko said! Concerntrate on your mission! Clear your mind of emotion! Focus girl, focus! "_

Kagome slowly sat up from under the mountain of blankets on top her and noticed Kari was awake and looking her way, an amused expression on his face.

Kagome gave him a glare and turned her attention back to InuYasha. She noticed he was still holding her hand while he slept and that caused Kagome to blush once more. An amused scoff of held back laughter sounded from Kari.

Had InuYasha really been watching over her all night? She guessed she wouldn't put it past him, in the short time she'd known him, he had always seemed very determined.

" _He must be so tired..."_

Kagome gently shifted him off of her lap, carefully prying her fingers out of his grasp. She lowered his head against the futon she had been sleeping in and made sure he would be comfortable. She could hear a light snoring erupting from him that suggested he was indeed at peace. His ears were occasionally twitching in his sleep and Kagome watched as they moved with growing curiousity.

_" His dog-ears...I never really noticed them before...they look so soft..."_

Kagome silently mused to herself as she watched the ears continue to twitch. Kagome was suddenly struck with an overwelming feeling of deja-vu. She couldn't quite put her finger on it...

_" I...I think I wanna touch them..." _Kagome decided as she reached out and felt one of InuYasha's ears. She rubbed them lightly for a few moments.

_" Hmm glad that's out of my system..." _Kagome thought as she ceased her rubbing. She felt almost irritated with herself for doing that now.

" Is there something so truly fascinating about those ears? " Kari asked, a smirk evident on his features.

" Be quiet Kari, " Kagome snapped, a blush on her cheeks rising as she stood up from the half-demon's side.

" Ahh forgive me..." Kari said as he ran up to Kagome and started brushing himself up against her legs, purring all the way.

Kagome smiled and picked up her neko friend, stroking him under his chin a little. She placed him on the floor again as she walked out of the hut and into the daylight. She squinted her eyes at the bright light and covered them a little with her hand to shield them from the sunlight. She then stretched her arms up above her head, yawned, and straightened out her red hakama a little. Her side still felt a little sore from the spider demon's attack but no where near as bad as it had been.

" Ye are awake child, " came a voice from behind Kagome. Kagome turned round and her eyes met with an elder miko's. The old woman had long, straight hair tied up in a ribbon, similar to that Kagome was wearing before.

" I did not mean to startle ye, Kagome, myself and Sango merely wished to check on your progress, my name is Kaede, the village miko, " Kaede told her.

Kagome noticed the demon slayer, Sango from before was standing next to the old miko, smiling at her also.

" How are you feeling Kagome? Any better? " Sango asked her.

" Um...yes thankyou, much better, and you? How are your wounds from before fending you? " Kagome asked back.

" Thanks to you, they're healing perfectly, " Sango replied, her smile widening in thanks. Sango was glad also to see that Kagome wasn't trying to run away from them.

_" Maybe there is a chance..." _Sango thought to herself in hope.

Kagome turned her attention back to Kaede and thanked her for wrapping up her wounds. There was something familiar about the miko's aura, she wasn't sure what though...

" Has our half-demon friend awoken yet? " Kaede asked her.

" No. Not yet. I've left him to sleep on the futon in there, " Kagome replied, a tint of pink covering her cheeks once again at the memory from before.

Something suddenly came flying through the air and hit Kagome squarely in the chest, wrapping its small arms around her neck and burying its face into her kimono.

" Kagome! You're alright! " It spoke to her happily. It was the fox kitsune. Kagome gently pried the young kit's death grip from around her neck, but still allowing him to hug her. She found herself wanting to hug him back.

" Shippo, I should be careful of lady Kagome there, she is still recovering, " another masculine voice called out to the kit. Kagome directed her gaze to the monk who had been sitting with Sango earlier on.

" Hehe right Miroku! Sorry Kagome! " Shippo jumped off of Kagome and back onto the monk's shoulder.

The monk smiled warmly at her. " How are you this fine morning lady Kagome? " he asked her, holding his golden staff to rest on his shoulder.

" I feel much better, thankyou...I'm sorry but I don't know your name..." Kagome said apologectically to him.

" Oh...yes..." the monk said sadly, " I...my name is Miroku...and this is Shippo, " Miroku pointed to the kitsune.

Shippo looked confused.

" What's wrong Kagome? Don't you remember us yet? " Shippo asked her.

Kagome was taken back by that question. She looked at them all and was surprised to see hurt in all their eyes. Kagome felt her insides twist a little bit at their sad faces, she couldn't stand seeing them look at her like that...

Kagome excused herself politely and turned away from them, walking up to the village fields with Kari at her side. Kaede, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara looked sadly at her retreating form, unable to wipe the expression from their faces. Kagome still didn't remember them. Their close and dear friend truly had know idea that she'd even met them before. That hurt. Alot.

" It is as my sister told me, Kagome's memories of us have been taken from her. Our only hope of triggering her memories is to unseal them. That however, I have no idea of how to do, " Kaede informed them all.

" We can't give up though Kaede, Kagome _is _still in there somewhere..." Sango pointed out.

" I agree my dear Sango, giving up on lady Kagome is the _last _thing we plan to do..." Miroku said, wrapping his arm around Sango's shoulders. She leaned into his embrace.

_ with InuYasha _

InuYasha awoke to find he was laying on the futon Kagome had been, quite comfortably aswell. The futon had Kagome's scent all over it...

InuYasha sat up from his spot on the floor and looked around the hut. Kagome wasn't there.

_" No! " _InuYasha panicked in fear that Kagome had left him again. He sprinted out of the hut and began searching for her. He found Kaede with Miroku and Shippo.

" Good morning InuYasha, " Kaede said.

" Have you seen- " InuYasha began but Miroku cut him off.

" Kagome? She's out in the fields with Sango. "

InuYasha nodded gratefully at them before setting off to the fields.

_ with Sango and Kagome _

" So Kari has been keeping you company? " Sango asked Kagome in conversation.

" Yeah. Hasn't left my side once, " Kagome replied, laughing at Kirara and Kari, who were sniffing and playing with eachother infront of them.

Kagome and Sango were sitting on a hill watching the village from high, talking with eachother. Sango was glad she was finally speaking to her properly and that they were having a decent chat between them. Kagome was glad to have some more comapany aswell. She felt happy having this woman to listen and talk to. It felt like something she hadn't done in a while and had deeply missed.

An image came across Kagome'd mind again. Midoriko.

_**" You are becoming distracted Kagome..." **_

Kagome shook her head in frustration. She had been enjoying the evevning with Sango and that had just spoilt it for her. Was she not allowed to interact with anyone now? Not even takl to someone other than Kari?...

It certainly seemed that way, and it annoyed her greatly. Kagome huffed. Midoriko was right. She _was _becoming distracted from her task that had been set, but for the last couple of hours she hadn't really cared. She'd been having a good time for the first time that she could remember, and she didn't want it to end so soon. Kagome felt like she'd known Sango all her life in just a short time...

Kagome stood and called Kari to her, who came immediately.

" Kagome? What's wrong? " Sango asked, her voice laced with concern.

" I...I'm sorry Sango..." Kagome choked out, her eyes filling with tears. She didn't want to leave, but she felt she didn't have a choice.

" I...I have to go..." Kagome told her shortly before galloping off into the direction of InuYasha's forest.

" Kagome! " Sango called out to her troubled friend, reaching out a hand. Kagome had dissapeared though.

InuYasha came sprinting to her out of no where. He'd seen Kagome run off again and demanded to know where.

Sango just told him she didn't know. InuYasha growled and went to track Kagome. Sango just stared numbly in his direction, wondering what ever could have brought on Kagome's sudden change of mood.

_ with Kagome _

Kagome kept on running, tears were now spilling down her pale cheeks. It wasn't fair at all. She didn't want to leave this village. In a short time, she had made friends there, felt welcomed there. The villagers had been so nice to her, one had even come up and hugged her yelling something about her being safe and alive. Kagome was unaware about what brought that on.

" Kagome don't cry, " Kari said, jumping onto her shoulder, " It is for the best, you can't stay here. "

Kagome didn't say anything. She knew Kari was right, her mind was far to clouded already. But that still didn't stop the ache she felt in her heart.

" HEY! KAGOME! "

Kagome whirled round to see InuYasha flying through the air toward her, stopping to gran her by the shoulders.

" What are you playing at?!? Running away like that?!? " InuYasha scolded her.

Kagome looked at him, more tears falling, which InuYasha noticed for the first time. It broke his heart to see her like that. She looked so helpless, so confused and hurt...what was wrong?

InuYasha couldn't stand it anymore. He brought his arms around her and held her tightly to his chest in a comforting embrace. He stroked her hair and made soft noises from inside his throatm hoping it would calm her down. He smiled a little when she returned the hug.

Kagome had been surprised by his actions. Kari jumped from her shoulder before InuYasha crushed him inbetween them and hissed a little. Kagome felt even more confused when he held like that. It felt...nice...it felt _really _nice to have him hold her like that...she felt safe all of a sudden, like nothing could hurt her...why did she feel like that around him?

" Kagome what...what's wrong with you? Why are you so upset? " InuYasha asked her gently, looking into her eyes.

She didn't answer him, just held onto his haori and leaned her head onto his chest, the tears finally beginning to subside. InuYasha blushed a bit at that but managed to hide it from her.

" I'm...I'm just so confused InuYasha..." Kagome finally said quietly, " I want...I want to stay here with all of you in this village..."

" So why don't you? " InuYasha asked.

" I can't InuYasha...I'm not supposed to feel this way...I'm supposed to keep my emotions at bay, under control...I don't even properly know any of you...so why does it feel so...so _right _being with you?... "

InuYasha felt joy inside him for a moment. _" She wants to stay with us! "_

" So what's stopping you? You don't have to go..."

" Yes. I do. " Kagome said bluntly.

InuYasha felt his insides twist. She was going to leave him again?

" Why? " InuYasha asked, sadness in his voice. Then he remembered what Kari had told him about the Midoriko and Kikyou, and how Kagome had a mission to complete...

" No! Kagome you don't have to do what Midoriko tells you! You can decide for yourself what you want to do! " InuYasha pleaded with Kagome.

Kagome was shocked. _" How does he know about Midoriko? "_

" How do you know about her and me? " Kagome asked almost suspiciously.

" Your neko friend told me last night..." InuYasha stated innocently.

Kagome glared momentarily at Kari.

" Did...did he tell you about what my mission is? " Kagome asked him.

" No. Said he couldn't, what is she making you do Kagome? " InuYasha demanded of her.

" I...I can't say...only that- "

" It involves the jewell and that bastard Naraku, Kari told me that to. "

" Yes. I'm sorry InuYasha but I can't just abandon my task, lives could be at stake..."

InuYasha growled. " _Your _life could be at stake Kagome! Do you how we'd feel, how _I'd _feel if I lost you again!?! "

_" Again? What does he mean by that? Does it mean he did know me before?..."_

" All I know Kagome is that anything that involves Naraku and the shikon jewell together isn't good news! You could be hurt, or worse!! "

" InuYasha please..."

" No Kagome! I'm not gonna just stand here and let you run away from me again! Why can' you just stay here and let me protect you!?! _I'm _supposed to protect you..." InuYasha faltered on those last words.

" _You're _supposed to protect me? What does that mean? " Kagome asked confusedly.

InuYasha didn't answer. She wouldn't remember anyway...damn that Midoriko, doing this to Kagome...

" Kagome, " InuYasha said softly, tightening his arms around her, " I can't tell you what that means, you won't remember, but you do have to know that what you do, or where you, no matter what happens, we are _never _going to give up on you, never going to stop looking for you until you're safe and back with us...I know you don't know but we..._I _really care for you Kagome...more than you could possibly know..."

Kagome listened carefully to his warm words. He wasn't lying, he was telling the truth. He spoke those words from deep within his heart...Kagome closed her eyes, leaning further into his embrace. Nothing else in the world mattered to her just then, there was only him and her...

" InuYasha? Please...I...I don't know what to do..."

InuYasha to saw only the two of them. He hadn't felt this strongly for someone in such a long time. It felt good holding Kagome again, hugging her, and him hugging her back...the sad, confused and distant look on her face when he had first seen her again had scared him immensly...he wanted nothing more than to take her pain away...end her suffering...he wanted the old Kagome back again...the one who had freed him from a 50 yr old curse...given him friends...hope...taught him how to love again...he wanted _his _Kagome back...he even missed her sit commands...

" Shhh...Kagome it's alright, we'll think of something I promise..." InuYasha told her gently whileleaning with her on his lap against a tree, placing his chin on her head and wrapping his arms even tighter and more securely around her. Kari watched the two from a distance.

_" He really does love her...Kagome may not realise it, but she loves him too..."_

Something caught Kari's attention. It startled InuYasha and Kagome too. InuYasha pulled Kagome to her feet and pushed her behind him, brandishing his Tetsussaiga. Kari transformed into is full size and stood next to InuYasha and Kagome, ready to fight.

Kagome sensed a terrible demonic aura coming their way, and fast. She got her bow and arrows ready to strike whatever was going to attack.

From over the trees came a giant, red and purple cloud of smoke, engulfing the area around them. Kari growled and InuYasha tensed up, recognising the swirling mass. _" Miasma! "_

Quick as lightning InuYasha covered Kagome in his haori, telling her to keep her mouth and nose covered. She followed his orders but still kept her bow ready to fire. Kagome wasn't sure what was about to come, but she remembered Midoriko telling her to be wary if she ever came across such a massive amount of miasma. She was warned not to breathe it in and keep on her eyes open and senses aware at all times.

Out of the swirling mass came a hooded figure. Its face was covered in scars and scorch marks, worst suffering were its hands. The figure lowered its hood and Kagome nearly screamed at the sight. The figure, a male as far as she could tell, was covered in deep cuts and scars. His eyes were bloodshot and glaring at them. The creature had an evil smirk plastered across his face as its eyes fell on the young miko InuYasha was shielding. Kagome trembled under his gaze and InuYasha stepped closer to her, growling fiercely at the figure.

_" So that bastard really is still alive! " _

Large spider like legs came petruding out of the figure's body, as the monster creature gave out a long and terrifying laugh.

" Ku Ku Ku InuYasha, Kagome...we meet again! "

Kagome recognised the monster then from an image Midoriko had once displayed to her in her dreams. _" Naraku..."_

Naraku continued to laugh at the three of them. He cast his eyes on each of them, before they lay almost hungrily on Kagome.

" It seems you did manage to survive miko, " Naraku said, his very voice sending shivers down Kagome's spine.

Naraku chuckled again.

" However, I plan to see otherwise soon enough..." Naraku stated, his eyes flashing at Kagome.

InuYasha stepped in and yelled to Naraku, " You won't lay a hand on Kagome again! "

_" Again? "_ Kagome wondered. She stopped her wondering though when Naraku sent forward one of his spidery tentacles. InuYasha roared as he cut the tentacle in half with his sword. He then grabbed Kagome and took her out of Naraku's range. More and more tentacles followed, but Kari came this time and tore them to bits with his fangs, shedding black, oozing blood everywhere.

Naraku didn't even flinch though, as his many tentacles simply re-grew themselves. He hurtled even more at the three of them. Kagome took this as her chance as she finally shot a spiritual arrow at Naraku. This time Naraku howled in agony at the impact, and he sped fuming toward Kagome. InuYasha took action though and through an infamous wind scar at Naraku. It though, like before, had very little affect on Naraku. As InuYasha stood dumbfounded, Naraku smirked and dissapeared from view into the miasma.

" Damnit! Where'd that freak go?!? " InuYasha growled, his eyes searching frantically for the half-spider demon. How had Naraku managed to avoid all the attacks like that? Save Kagome's spiritual arrow?

His thoughts were cut off when he heard a scream from behind him followed by a powerful blow to his chest. It sent him hurtling to the other side of the clearing, nearly knocking him out. Kari was knocked aside aswell.

With some difficulty, InuYasha scrambled to his feet, holding his side painfully. He looked around to where he'd just been standing. His red outer haori was laying in a heap on the ground.

" Kagome?!? " InuYasha yelled searching for her, but he couldn't see her anywhere. InuYasha became very frightened for her safety.

" Ku Ku Ku..." sounded that evil laugh from Naraku.

InuYasha looked up, dreading what he'd see. _" No..."_

Naraku was holding an unconscious Kagome in his arms bridal style, her long black hair blowing in the wind. Naraku snickered triamphantly at InuYasha.

" NARAKU YOU FILTHY BASTARD!! LET KAGOME GO RIGHT NOW!! " InuYasha bellowed as ran toward the two.

" Feh, " said Naraku, imitating InuYasha, " Why don't you make me?..."

With that InuYasha took off with Kagome, and soon dissapeared above the miasma.

" KAGOMEEE!!! " InuYasha screamed her name into the sky. Kari had just awoken to find his mistress gone, and he was growling furiously.

_" NO! I CAN'T HAVE LOST HER AGAIN!! " _InuYasha screamed mentally, punching the ground as his feet with his fist and drawing blood. The piece of Kagome's neck tie that InuYasha kept with him fell out of his kimono and infront of him, placing a horrible reminder of what had happened.


	11. Kagome: Captured by Naraku

**Okay the title for this chapter is a play on the InuYasha episode, Kikyo: Captured by Naraku. **

**This isn't a very original title I know but I couldn't think of another!**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

**Kagome: Captured by Naraku**

Sango had sensed the familiar demonic from where she'd seen InuYasha and Kagome run off to. She'd alerted the village when she saw the familiar miasma over the trees. She only preyed that InuYasha and Kagome were safe before she bounded off on Kirara to get Miroku.

Now Miroku, Shippo, Sango, Kirara and Kaede were running in the direction of the miasma which was now dissapating into the sky. The fear grew in their hearts when they heard InuYasha's despearte scream of Kagome's name, and they feared the worst.

When they reached the clearing they found InuYasha sniffing the ground wildly, a painfully desperate look in his golden eyes.

" InuYasha! " Miroku shouted to his friend, " What happened?!? Where's Kagome?!? "

InuYasha whirled round to face them.

" He's taken her! That damn filthy bastard took her from me!! " InuYasha shouted, anger with himself clear in his voice.

Sango shook her head in disbelief. _" No! Kagome you can't be gone again! "_

" I've got her scent! " InuYasha yelled suddenly, racing off in the direction Naraku had taken Kagome, " I'm gonna get her back! "

" Wait InuYasha! " Kaede yelled but he'd already sprinted off, shortly followed by Kari.

" Let's not waste time! Miroku! Hop on Kirara with me! " Sango yelled to the monk, " Shippo, you stay here with Kaede, we'll be back with Kagome soon enough! "

The cuople on Kirara went flying after InuYasha and Kari.

As InuYasha ran through the wilderness, he couldn't stop cursing himself.

_" Hold on Kagome! I'm coming! I swear I'll save you from Naraku! Just be strong! "_

_ with Kagome _

Kagome awoke to find herself laying in a grey stone room. Her head hurt like hell and she had difficulty steadying herself. She couldn't stand up and was eventually forced to lie back down against the cold floor. _Where was she?_

She realised she was in some sort of cell, and she could hear the pitter patter of water from somewhere near her. She heard a pained moan from to her left. Kagome turned her head round, wincing slightly at the pain she felt, and layed her eyes on a rusty old cell door. Next to the door, laying chained to the wall was a boy. Kagome gasped at his state. He was covered in cuts and bruises and looked highly under-fed. He was semi-conscious as far as she could tell and having trouble breathing. He needed help.

Kagome tried to move over to him but the pain she felt forbid her to do so at first. She was eventually able to get up though and made her way slowly over to the boy. She winced a bit more as she knelt down beside him and felt his forehead. He had a definate fever developing.

" Boy? Boy can you hear me? " Kagome asked gently.

The boy's eyes fluttered a little and he gingerly turned his head to face Kagome. He tried to move his arms but the shackles holding his wrists forbaid him from doing so. Kagome gently held him down and looked at the chains holding him to the wall. There was no way she could brake him free...

" Listen, young man? I'm going to try and help you okay? Just don't move to much alright? This may sting a little..."

The boy merely nodded as Kagome reached inside her kimono and took out some herbs she had collected earlier that day. She gently began to rub them over the boy's major wounds. Then Kagome tore some strips of her red hakama off and used them to wrap the wounds up.

" There. That should start to feel better soon, those are special herbs for this sort of thing...What's your name boy? " Kagome asked him.

" Ko..Kohaku..."

Kohaku? That name sounded familiar to Kagome...

Suddenly, Kagome heard voices comming from outside the cell door.

" Get...Get out of here..." Kohaku stammered weakly.

Kagome would never leave a poor boy like that all alone though to face his captors, besides, she didn't see anywhere for her _to _run _or _hide.

The cell door flew open, and two men came bulging through the door, one of them carrying some rope in their right hand. They scanned their eyes around the cell to where Kagome had awoken and then to where she was now with Kohaku.

" That's the miko, we have strict orders to bring her to the master, " one of the men said. He walked forward to grab Kagome.

Kagome was scared by the men and instinctively reached for her bow and arrows, but found they were missing. Before she knew what was happening the man was dragging her out of the cell by her hair, leaving Kohaku alone once again, powerless to stop them from taking her.

Outside the cell, the man holding her grabbed her amrs and held them behind her back, while the other came along and wrapped the rope around them, tieing them so tightly she couldn't feel the circulation in them anymore. She struggled and started to yell but the man held her down forcefully and the other came and shoved a gag into her mouth, tieing it back round the back of her head. Her screams were now muffled by the gag and she couldn't move her arms at all.

" You are to take her to the our master Seseke, " a man up the end of the hallway Kagome found herself in called to them, then snickered, " Make sure you get her there in one piece..."

The man holding her, apparently Seseke, hoisted Kagome up and over his shoulders, following the hallway along and out into daylight.

_" Where are they taking me? " _Kagome wondered, half scared to death, _" Could it be...could it be to Naraku?!? " _

Kagome's fear grew when she saw she was being carried out the apparent makeshift prison and toward a rather grim looking castle. Kagome could sense the aura from before surrounding it and it terrified her. She looked wildly at her captors. _They were human..._

That was for certain, they were _humans_ working for a _half-demon_...why?

That was the least of her worries now as she was taken into the castle and carried up a small flight of stone steps. They went through a long corridor and came to a large, wooden door with traditional Japanese markings along the edges.

Kagome was dropped onto the floor and lifted by her hair again by Seseke. He ran a disgusting tongue across her cheek. Kagome screamed but the sound was once again muffled by the cloth wrapped round her head.

" She's a miko this one, ain't she Hitori? Purest of all beings they are...shame we couldn't have our way with her, it's up to the master to decide her fate..." Seseke said, hoisting Kagome to her feet and holding her a little to close for comfort.

" Hmmm...yeah shame...take her through now Seseke, you've had your fun..." Hitori instructed Seseke.

Seseke finally removed the gag from Kagome's mouth but didn't untie her. He placed a great, dirty hand over her mouth to keep her quiet as she was pushed through the wooden doors.

_" InuYasha..." _was all Kagome could think about as she met to bloodshot eyes in a dimly lit room, the only light comming from a torch in the corner of the room.

" I think you can remove the miko's bonds now Seseke, " a deep and cruel voice sounded. Seseke cut the ropes round Kagome's wrists with a sharp knife and pushed her forward further into the room, walking back out the door and leaving her in there with the sinister voice.

Out of the shadows Kagome was finally met with what she feared most at that point. Naraku came forward to her, his eyes flashing dangerously, ready to attack her.

" So miko, shall I teach you what it means to mess with me? To leave me barely alive and scrambling to hold onto life?...Let's see how you take it..."

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**okay another chapter up! what did ya think? tell all!**

**thanks.**


	12. The hidden darkness inside InuYasha

**kk here is the next chapter!!**

**The hidden darkness inside InuYasha**

InuYasha came galloping over several hills, and growled deeply when the ugly view of Naraku's new castle came into his sight. He could sense the evil aura all over the place and it sickened him, and he was tempted to leave the cursed area. But then he realised that Kagome was probably inside that castle, all alone...with _him._

InuYasha bared his teeth before jumping forward so he was running through Naraku's demonic aura, the scent of a distant miasma never drifting from his nose. He'd come down a hill, and the castle had gone from sight for as far as he could see. He was now entering a small wood that was smoothered in a thick mist. _" This wood must be guarding the entrance to the castle! " _InuYasha concluded.

Sango and Miroku came flying over the hills on Kirara, and were slightly panicked to find InuYasha had vanished from view.

" Miroku! Do you see InuYasha anywhere?! " Sango yelled through the wind.

" No, and his demonic aura has dissapeared aswell! I can't sense him anywhere! " Miroku yelled back, his eyes scanning the ground for their friend, " Sango! Look there! "

Sango turned her attention to where the monk was looking and was shocked at what she saw. A massive, black barrier was covering a small part of the landscape. The evil emitting from it was truly terrifying, and a faint miasma could be seen scattered around the edge.

" Do...Do you think that's where Naraku and Kagome are? " Sango asked Miroku, shivering at the feel of such a terrible aura.

" Judging by the size of that shield and the horrible presence coming from inside it I'd say it was indeed, perhaps InuYasha has gone through it! " Miroku suggested.

" Let't see if we can then! Kirara, take us down! " Sango ordered her nekomata, as they descended down to the barrier. Upon contact with it though, Kirara bounced back into the air, sreeching in pain.

" Kirara! " Sango yelled as they fell to the ground with a thud. Miroku and Sango were alright but the barrier had done some damage to Kirara.

" Take it easy Kirara, " Sango told the nekomata as she transformed back into her smaller state. Sango held her in her arms gently and turned to Miroku, who was now carefully studying the barrier.

" A terrible magic surrounds this barrier..." Miroku said gravely.

" What do you mean monk? " Sango asked almost fearfully.

" Something...corrupted is causing this...it's not Naraku though...the aura is different...much more concerntrated and stronger...whatever is causing this though, I'm sure Naraku is helping to manipulate its power...it feels sort of familiar..."

Sango looked up at the barrier's walls and then down again and attempted to see through it. That did little good though, the wall was almost opaque.

" Miroku? Do you really think InuYasha is in there somewhere?..." Sango asked.

" I...I'm quite sure he is actually...his demonic aura was here not to long ago...maybe he used the red Tetsusaiga...or maybe he found another way around it..."

" Another way? "

" Yes, perhaps. With Kirara down, we're going to be much slower finding InuYasha though, so we had best get a move on, " Miroku told her decisively.

" Yeah. Let's get going then..." Sango agreed as her and Miroku started to search around the barrier for a possible way in.

_ with InuYasha _

InuYasha had not seen the barrier, nor had he sensed it. He'd simply walked right through it without realising it was even there at all. Kari had seen the barrier, but had been able to pass through it after InuYasha. The neko was keeping hot on the half-demon's trail, not letting him out of his sight.

InuYasha just kept running through the mist, feeling himself getting ever closer to the castle. He gained even more speed.

_" Hang on Kagome...I swear I'll get you out of there! " _

_ with Kagome and Naraku _

Naraku was slowly backing Kagome up against the wooden door she'd been dragged into. Naraku was giving her a look of pure hatred but also a look of...lust?

Kagome did her best to hide her fear, but to little avail. It felt like Naraku was peering right into her soul, seeking out her deepest and darkest thoughts and fears...

Kagome fell against the door, and Naraku came forward like lightning, trapping her there with his arms either side of her body, snarling at her.

" Look at what you did miko! Look at my face! " Naraku spat at her.

" Wha...What do you what _I _did? " Kagome asked back innocently.

" Ku Ku Ku...you don't remember?...How tragic...I doubt you remember your past life before either? " Naraku asked with a small but affective smirk.

Kagome just did her best to stare Naraku down, not answering his question. She knew that this could be her only chance to complete her mission, but she had no weapon to do it...She scanned the room frantically, searching for anything she could use to defend herself. A shiny glint caught Kagome's eye from the corner of the room. _" My bow and arrows! "_

If she could just reach them...

Naraku saw what she was planning and wrapped his arm around her neck, pulling her from the floor and holding her in the air, suffocating her. Kagome choked and couldn't breathe at all. She tried desperately to pry his fingers from around her neck, but it didn't work. She was seeing black...

With a final effort, Kagome brought both of her hands around Naraku's. She squeezed tightly and concerntrated her miko energy. She let it out through her hands as they glowed a light pink. The bright light burned Naraku's skin as he howled in pain. He finally released her.

Kagome fell to the floor, gasping for breath. Once she found it, she leapt to the corner of the room and grabbed her bow and arrows. Naraku, whirled round to her, still clutching his burnt hand. Kagome aimed her arrow at Naraku.

" You..You wench..." Narku managed to hiss out at her.

Kagome's eyes narrowed at him as she took better aim at him, ready to fire when the time came.

Naraku then smirked at her, a mocking glint in his eye.

" You think you can destroy me miko? That's your mission, correct? Pathetic..."

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise.

" How do you know about that? " She demanded.

Naraku's evil grin widened as his hand went inside his kimono. He pulled out a dark, round and glowing half-sphere, tainted by the one holding it.

Kagome gaped. _" The shikon-no-tama! "_

" Yes miko, do you see? Though thanks to your interference, I have only half of the jewell. However, half is _more _than what I need at the moment to make you suffer...My hate for you has corrupted this half's purity, and it fuels its strength to my body, helping me to recover what I lost..."

" What...What happened to you Naraku? " Kagome asked as her surprise died down. He couldn't have complete power without a full jewell, but still...

" What happened to me, miko? Ku Ku Ku..." Naraku laughed.

" What's so humerous?..." Kagome demanded.

" You, young miko. Over four months ago, I was almost defeated and left for dead. The power of the shikon-no-tama that had been embedded in my body was almost purified, and I was forced to remove it before I was along with it. I threw it over the edge of a cliff..."

Kagome had a feeling of deja-vu again. Naraku's story sounded familiar to her...

" I fleed the scene, repulsed at the sight of my own body. I went into hiding for a while, before I heard of...some rumours..."

Kagome raised an eyebrow.

" Yes Kagome. Do you remember now? The jewell would never have begun to purify if it hadn't been for a certain someone...the only woman with the power to purify the jewell...and destroy me..._you were that woman! "_

" What?! " Kagome demanded, caught completely off guard.

" That day, you wrapped your filthy human arms around my body, and fueled your purifying magic to the jewell, as it purified, it fueled power to you...After I removed it, i sent you over the cliff with it...you _should _have died that day Kagome..."

Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing.

" Oh how it gave me such pleasure, even in my pain, to hear the anguished cries of your loved ones, one in particular...the one who failed to reach you in time as you fell from the cliff...who failed to save you from your cruel fate...a half-demon I _despised..._"

" InuYasha?..." Kagome stuttered, speechless.

" Yes, that filthy half-breed and his friends. Have you not wondered why he stopped at nothing to find you when he learnt of your return, while he wanted to keep you safe in that village? Why his friends always looked so sad when you couldn't remember them? Why _you _wanted to stay with them? Why _you _felt for InuYasha?..."

Naraku laughed at Kagome's expression.

" You used to love that half-breed, and though he would always deny it, he loved you aswell...he never truly realised it until I almost killed you that day...It must have broke his heart when you came back and didn't remember him or anyone...not even the family you left behind in your own time..."

" My...My own time?!? "

" Yes Kagome. You are _not _from this time, you come from the far future. You used to travel back and forth between your time and this one, helping InuYasha and his friends look for the jewell shards, which only you and Kikyou could sense..."

_" Kikyou? "_ Kagome thought.

" I quite happily disposed of Kikyou myself actaully, a few weeks before I nearly did you...such a shame really, she would have made a _lovely _mate..."

Kagome was fuming inside. Naraku had caused even more suffering than she'd first realised. He had been the one to kill Kikyou...he nearly killed _her! _He was the reason she couldn't remember anything from before! He _hurt _and _broke _InuYasha's heart!

This bastard was going to pay...

" After that fateful day, some humans came across the cave I had been hiding in. I'd already come across this half of the jewell, it had floated down river. I used its powers to corrupt them, and they soon succumed to my every wish. They treated me like royalty, gave me this new castle to live in...and in turn I tainted and tarnished their suols to the point they could never return to normal again...being with these weak humans is a small price to pay for the full power I will soon have...I will dispose of them once they have ran their usefulness..."

Kagome gritted her teeth.

" Once I have a complete jewell, I will have absolute power once more, and no one, not even _you _Kagome, will stop me...You won't live long enough to do so...you will _never _complete your mission to destroy me and the sacred jewell! "

Kagome had heard enough. She took aim once more with her bow and arrow, and fired at Naraku. It hit him in the chest, but with half the sacred jewell in his hand, the wound would heal quickly. Kagome shot past the pained Naraku, and ran out through the corridor, narrowly missing the men that waited for her. She _had _to find the other half of the jewell before Naraku did! If she did that she could then destroy it! Then he'd never have full power!

When Naraku had recovered, he sneered sinisterly at the direction in which Kagome had just left. Kagome _wouldn't _get away from him. He planned to kill her at some point and so get his revenge, but until then she would prove useful in finding the last piece of the jewell.

Naraku then had a thought. He had sensed that half-demon come through his barrier as he had intended. He wanted to make InuYasha suffer _almost _as much as he did Kagome...

InuYasha was in a swirl of his darkness, and in perfect position for a little offside manipulation...and maybe some reliving of past happenings and present fears...

Narku smirked once again. He brought the shikon jewell half to his chest and closed his eyes. A blue hue surrounded Naraku as he made the conection with InuYasha's soul, whose being had unknowingly been darkened by Naraku's mist and miasma.

_ with InuYasha _

InuYasha couldn't believe it. He'd somehow gotten himself _lost _in the mist! He'd been sure he'd known the direction of the castle! _" DAMNIT! I'm such an idiot! " _InuYasha cursed himself.

He was wasting so much time! Naraku could be hurting Kagome! She _needed _him and he couldn't get there to her! " Just hang on a bit longer Kagome! I _will _find you! "

InuYasha suddenly felt overcome with a wave of nausea. He nearly fell over, but was able to stable himself against a tree.

_" What the hell was that?!? "_

The nausea swept over him again and this time he did tumble over, landing on the ground with loud thud. He felt himself starting to pass out from the feeling but he willed his body not to. The overwhelming feeling was to strong though, and he soon fell unconscious.

The last thing he muttered was a single name as he drifted off into blackness.

_" Kagome..."_

InuYasha's senses awoke before he opened his eyes. He sniffed the air around him, and smelt smoke and...blood? Who's blood?... He couldn't make it out...

InuYasha opened his eyes and finally took in his surroundings. He had to close them again though as thick balck smoke nearly blinded him. He squinted his eyes open a little and brought his hand up to shield them. It was then that he realised he was holding something. _" The Shikon-no-tama! "_

InuYasha's surprise only grew as he found the scense around him dissapearing and melting into a different one. This time he found himself running through a...village? Past the village...through to a forest...infront of a great tree and still clutching the jewell...

**" INUYASHA!! "**

A voice sounded as he stopped in his tracks to see who had yelled to him. He turned round and met the eyes of the woman he had hated and loved...

_" Kikyou! "_

**" Die InuYasha! "**

Kikyou fired her arrow and InuYasha was pinned to the sacred tree, the jewell flying out of his grasp as pain shook through him from the force of the arrow.

He could just see Kikyou collapse to the ground and reached out a hand to her form as five words ran through his head.

" Ki-Kikyou...How could...?...I thought..." Then InuYasha blacked out.

Now, InuYasha opened his eyes once again. The long forgotten pain he had just relived was still clear in his mind. He kept his eyes closed in hurt. _" Kikyou..."_

" InuYasha? " A sweet and loving voice called out to him. He finally opned his eyes and looked up to see none other than Kagome staring at him worriedly. She wasn't wearing the prietess garb from before, but instead her regular old school uniform. She looked at him just like she used to, with so much love, compassion, emotion..._His _Kagome was back!

Maybe everything that had happened before...was all just a bad dream? A distant nightmare?

" InuYasha are you alright? You look pale..." Kagome asked with concern, holding out her hand to him so she could pull him up. He took her hand gratefully and stood looking deep into her eyes. That nightmare had seemed real enough...but the Kagome he knew and cared for infront of him now...safe and well...alive _and_ recognising him!

InuYasha brought Kagome into a warm hug, pressing his chin on top of of her head, drinking in her comforting scent..._" This feels so good..."_

Kagome looked up at him from in his embrace, a little surprised. Her face broke out into a grin though as she playfully placed her hand on his head as if feeling for a temperature.

" Are you _really _alright InuYasha? " Kagome asked smiling.

" I'm fine Kagome. Best I've felt in a long time..." InuYasha replied with a rare smile of his own. He followed her back to the camp that had been made near Kaede's village and found Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara waiting for them. He smelt the deliscious smell of ramen emitting from some pots next to the fire. He sat down next to Kagome as she handed him a pot and he slurped at it hungrily.

_" This tastes so good..."_

" MIROKU YOU PERVERT!! " Sango yelled as she got up and whacked her Hiraikotsu over the monk's head.

" Forgive me my dear Sango but I never know where this cursed hand will wonder to next..." Miroku replied with a perverted smile while innocently waving his hands at her. He then doubled over with a collosal bump on his head from Sango's boomerang.

Kagome, Shippo and even Kirara sweat dropped at the familiar scene, but InuYasha didn't. Instead he smiled at the pair, glad that things were as they should be. Sango and Miroku were be fighting like an old married couple and Shippo and Kirara were silently agreeing that the monk was both a baka _and_ had an almost certain death wish...

But most pleasing to InuYasha was the fact Kagome was by his side. She was just sitting with him, happily musing to herself. InuYasha couldn't help but stare at her. He had never noticed her like _this _before. The setting sun cast a warm hue over her features and she literally glowed in the light. Her hair blew lightly around her as she tucked a piece behind her ear and then twirled another with her finger.

InuYasha felt _so _lucky to have someone as kind, brave, beautiful, fiery, loving and giving as Kagome was. Sure they'd get into fights, argue some more and InuYasha would get sat but right now he honestly _wouldn't _trade it for the world...

Kagome looked at him as she caught him staring and he blushed madly but didn't turn away. Kagome smiled shyly and blushed aswell. She slowly leaned her head on his shoulder and he leaned his head on top of hers. InuYasha drowned out the sounds of the quarelling monk and demon slayer and focused only on the girl beside him. As he closed his eyes in his perfect little world it felt as if it were only him and Kagome, forever by eachothers side...he fell asleep, perfectly content.

InuYasha awoke sometime later to the smell of...fire? Something was definately burning! He shot his eyes open and looked around him. He gasped in horror.

All around him there were trees uprooted, slashed to bits, the village huts lay in pieces dotted around the ground. There were bodies lying around the place _everywhere..._Women, their children, the villlage animals...

He looked further up on the hills to see that Kikyou's shrine had been completely demolished and destroyed, there was hardly anything left...

InuYasha smelt something else just then that horrified him. He looked down at his hands ro find them covered in scarlet blood...his _friend's _blood!

" N..No..." InuYasha gasped. He smelt, Shippo's, Miroku's, Sango', Kirara's, Kaede's and..._Kagome..._

" KAGOME!! " He called out for her, preying this was all just another nightmare and not really happening. He _couldn't _have done this...

InuYasha found his white undershirt and haori laying in a heap next to a fallen tree. It was covered in blood...

**" INUYASHA!! " **a voice called to him.

InuYasha whirled round, recognising the voice instantly.

InuYasha's eyes widened in horror as they lay on Kagome's form. She was holding up her bow and arro, ready to fire at him. She had a massive gash on her chest with blood pouring out of it. The fire created a strong wind as it blew around her, lifting her hair and clothes around her body. She had tear trails down her cheeks aswell.

_" Please...tell me I didn't do this to Kagome! I wouldn't! I love..."_

**" InuYasha! How could you do this?!? You've killed all our friends, all the villagers! You destroyed everything! You went after me..." **Kagome said as more tears fell.

" Ka...Kagome..."

**" I'll never forgive you InuYasha, never! I thought I could trust you! I thought you cared for us! Cared for me...I guess I was wrong..."**

" No! Kagome don't do this!..."

**" You chose your own desire over peace and look what happened! You stole the jewell and went on a killing rampage...there was so much blood..."**

" Kagome please forgive me! I'm begging you! " InuYasha pleaded with her. He could see she was struggling to stand, she was loosing to much blood...

**" I can never forgive you InuYasha..."**

" KAGOME!! PLEASE DON'T DO THIS! I'M SO SORRY! I...I didn't mean it...I...I love you Kagome..."

**" I did love you InuYasha. You know I did...we can never be in this world though..."**

" No...Kagome don't! Don't say that please! "

**" I...I still love you InuYasha...but after all this...after everything you've done...I...I just can't live with it..." **Kagome told him, tears coming down heavier than before.

" Ka...Kagome you said you'd never leave me..." InuYasha said, his own tears appearing.

Kagome gritted her teeth and got ready to fire once more. She aimed at InuYasha's heart.

**" I will follow..." **She said distantly.

" No...KAGOMEEE!!! " InuYasha yelled as he ran towards her, attempting to bring her close to him and get her to listen to reason.

**" It's too late...goodbye...InuYasha..."**

She fired her arrow.


	13. Kagome's kiss and her forgotten emotion

**Hehe sorry for the cliffhanger last chapter!**

**On we go then...**

**Please KEEP reviewing!! **

**Kagome's kiss and her forgotten emotion**

Kagome ran and ran, trying to escape the castle guards. If they caught her, she'd be done for. She'd managed to keep some of them away by threatening them with her bow and arrow, though she didn't intend to kill them.

As Kagome finally saw light at the end of the hallway, she gathered as much speed as she could muster. She was nearly there, she just had to go a little further...

_" Wait..."_

Kagome haulted just outside the exit she'd found. The miko had meant to get away from this tainted place, but a thought had struck her.

_" Kohaku..."_

Kagome just couldn't leave that poor boy there, all alone and chained to the wall...

She made her decision. She sprinted back into the direction of the makeshift prison she had awoken in earlier. With some difficulty, she was able to get past the humans who tried to stop her, once again poised with her arrow. She made it into the cell she had been taken from and blasted the door open with a wave of spiritual energy. Kohaku was there where she left him.

In no time at all, Kagome used her arrows to set Kohaku free from his chains, and leaned him against her as she stood, ready to make another brake for freedom. Kohaku stirred a little, whispering something under his breath.

" Kohaku! Just hang on a little while longer for me! I'm going to get you out of here! " Kagome told him as she ran along with him limping beside her.

As they made it out into the castle grounds, Kagome saw the final exit they needed to get to to escape. There was a small problem though. Several guards had placed themselves in their way, blocking the escape route. Kagome gritted her teeth in frustration.

" Ha! So the miko _did_ escape the master's wrath! Doubt he'll be to pleased...We better get her back to him...the boy aswell..." One of the men shouted. They darted towards her and Kohaku.

Placing Kohaku to lean on a wall, Kagome readied her arrow once more. She fired at the swarm of men running towards them, clearing a small path for them to escape through. She'd only rendered the men unconscious, they would be up soon enough, and there were more men coming from the castle.

She turned to Kohaku.

" Kohaku! Listen to me, you have to make a brake for it! Get out of here and don't look back, just keep running and find some help! I'm going to keep these guards away form you! Go now! "

Kohaku slowly registered what the young miko was saying.

" But...But I can't! I don't want to leave-" Kohaku was cut off.

" There's no time to argue Kohaku! You'll have a better chance if you leave now! It's better that you get away, you won't last here much longer! GO! I'll follow after you! "

Kohaku hesitated, but eventually ran towards the exit, casting a worried glance back to Kagome. He kept running like she told him to though, and he dissapeared from sight and into the wood surrounding them.

Kagome knew she might not be able to follow, there were far to many men and she couldn't just kill them. They were till humans, tainted or not.

She did her best to keep them away, and was able to stop them from running after Kohaku. Now their soul purpose it seemed lay on getting her...

Kagome couldn't keep them away any longer. It was pointless firing any more arrows, more men would only come in after she'd fired a warning shot. She was running out of options fast.

Suddenly someone wrapped their arms around Kagome's waist from behind and hauled her into their chest, twisting her arm back painfully so she dropped her bow and arrows. She screamed in pain. The man slapped her round the face and held her tightly to him. Kagome still struggled but the man only held tighter.

" Ku Ku Ku..." Came a familiar and sinister voice. Kagome looked up with fury at Naraku.

He walked up to her slowly.

She tried to move, but the guard held her tightly in his grasp. Naraku reached out and held her chin in his hand, forcing him to look at her.

" Foolish you are young miko...thinking you could escape me..." Naraku held up the half of the jewell he possessed. It was glowing a with a dark hue that consumed Naraku also.

Kagome was forced to look deep into it. Inside the jewell she thought she saw a flash of red and silver, running through a dark, purple mist...

" InuYasha! What have you done with him?!? " Kagome demanded.

" You'll find out soon enough Kagome, but for now...sleep..." Naraku smirked.

The man holding Kagome squeezed her so hard it knocked the breath right out of her, and she passed out in his arms, hearing the distant echo of Naraku's laughter.

Kagome awoke sometime later. She opened her eyes groggily to find she was in the same cell she had awoken in earlier. Kagome sighed heavily.

_" Perfect. Just great. You're done for now Kagome..."_

Kagome slumped down against the wall and ran over her options. Naraku would probably send someone for her evantually, she'd try another escape attempt then.

Kagome heard a pained groan from somewhere in the room. She looked around, recognising the sound. She finally saw a mass of red and silver lying on the floor not to far from her, groaning and moaning in an unsettled sleep...

" InuYasha! "

Kagome crawled over to his form, placing her hands on InuYasha's forehead. He was sweating madly, tossing his head and moaning words she couldn't quite hear. Kagome saw he was in chains. His outer haori had been removed and he was left in his white undershirt. Kagome winced at the many cuts he had on his body, and the severe turmoil he appeared to be in. With some difficulty, Kagome placed his head in her lap so he was resting on her red hakama, still sweating and panting.

Kagome called out his name and gently shook him, trying to bring him out of his nightmare. His wists were in shackles and his feet were chained to the wall.

" Oh InuYasha, what have they done to you?..." Kagome whimpered at his state.

The chains on his wrists were cutting into them, causing blood to drip down from them. Kagome desperately wanted to take them off of him, but once again she had no bow and arrows and trying to pull them off might hurt him even more.

InuYasha started to trash about wildely, his head tossing from side to side and his whimpering grew even louder. He was yelling out someone's name. _Her _name.

" No Kagome! Don't do this! "

_" What? "_

" Kagome please! I love- "

_" Who does he love? "_

Kagome attempted to calm him. She began calling out to him and running her hand through his silver mane.

" InuYasha! InuYasha it's alright! I'm here don't worry please! "

" Don't leave me Kagome..."

Kagome was taken back. Leaving him was the last thing she had on her mind right now. He needed her, she'd _never _leave while he needed her...Wait? What was she saying? She still had a mission to complete didn't she? Naraku could have been telling her lies before, maybe she hadn't really known InuYasha or his friends at all before...maybe it had just been a trick of Naraku's...

InuYasha started thrashing more violently, the chains restraining him clinging loudly.

Kagome couldn't stand seeing him like this, it scared her to no end. She didn't care what Midoriko had told her! Miko or not Kagome _did _care for InuYasha! She wasn't sure how or why she did in such a short time in knowing him, but it was something! She couldn't let someone she felt this strongly for suffer like this!

Another pained yell of her name and Kagome took action. She leaned forward, and brushed her lips against InuYasha's, or the while rubbing one of his ears comfortingly.

Immediately InuYasha stopped squirming. He settled down and started to relax in Kagome's lap. InuYasha began to awake from his nightmare...

Kagome felt wonderful kissing InuYasha. She wasn't sure why, but it had felt like she'd been wanting to do this for a long time. She savoured every minute of it, and was glad to find it worked when he started to calm down.

Kagome pulled away, and was surprised to find him looking back at her with wide golden eyes.

" Oh...er...um...I..." Kagome stuttered, her face now flushed.

" I...I'm so sorry I did that InuYasha! You were in pain and having some sort of nightmare...I had to find a way to calm you down and..."

InuYasha wasn't listening to her raving. There was only one thing running through his head. Kagome had just _kissed _him... Why had she done that? He was glad to be out of that horrible nightmare, but still shocked at her actions...but not in a bad way...

InuYasha knew Kagome still remembered little from their time together before, so why did she kiss him like...like she cared? Cared for _him?_ Hadn't that miko Midoriko told her not to feel emotion...

His fears in the nightmare he had rose, and started to sweat again. He noticed he was in Kagome's lap, and in a dark cell. He saw the chains at his wrists, and tried to pull them off but to no avail. The nightmare was replaying over and over in his mind, he couldn't stop thinking about it...

Kagome stopped her ranting and noticed the fear in his eyes.

" InuYasha?... It...It's alright..." Kagome cooed gently as she reached down and ran her hand down his face, which was beginning to sweat again.

" I don't know what kind of terrible dream you were having, but I swear to you none of it is true...I was stupid before...trying to run away from all of you...I'm not going to leave you InuYasha..."

InuYasha relaxed under her touch, and had a sudden urge to embrace her tightly. He did just that. It was a little tricky with the shackles on his wrists, so instead he managed to steer her head onto his chest, placing his head on top of hers. Kagome blushed but soon relaxed onto him.

" Ka...Kagome...I don't want to loose you...not...not again...not _ever..._"

Kagome smiled under his chin.

" I won't InuYasha...I don't care what Midoriko told me anymore...I can't help but feel...I feel so many emotions when I'm around you...I don't know why...but I do all the same..."

InuYasha smiled then. He pulled out of the embrace and lightly kissed her, for a second only. It was like him reassuring himself that she really _was _there with him, not going to leave him...He leaned back down and layed his head in her lap, finally falling into a more peaceful sleep.

Kagome's heart was pounding at the gesture. Why did he make her feel like this? Had what Naraku said _really _been true? Maybe Kagome had loved InuYasha before...if so, did that mean that even though she couldn't remember him from then, her feelings for him had remained? Hidden somewhere deep inside her? Pushed away because of the task she had to complete, by what Midoriko told her? Why would Midoriko want her to forget something like this?...

_" Do I really __**love **__InuYasha?..."_

Kagome watched him snoozing.

She whispered to him quietly.

" We _will _get out of here InuYasha, I promise. I won't let Naraku make you suffer like this again...I'll protect you like you promised to protect me..."

Kagome herself leaned back against the wall. She soon fell into a light slumber, peacefully sleeping. At least for the moment.


	14. Kohaku, Sango and Kari: Reunion

**Ok here we are, next chapter!**

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've just been busy with school and such...**

**Anyway, thankyou for all the reviews!**

** A special thankyou to moonlightshadow123 for yours **

**Keep them comming!**

**Kohaku, Sango and Kari: Reunion**

Sango ran holding Kirara in her arms as her and Miroku deperately tried to find a way through the blackening barrier. They couldn't fly over it airborn because Kirara was injured, and it would be pointless to try and use Miroku's wind tunnel.

Miroku had tried to use a few sacred sutras on the barrier, but they'd had no affect whatsoever.

_" This isn't good, " _Miroku told himself, _" at this rate we'll never find InuYasha! "_

_-Inside the barrier-_

Kohaku was running as fast as he could, though with his cuts and bruises it made him alot slower. That priestess back there had told him to run and leave her behind. He was hesitant, he didn't want to leave her. She looked familiar to him, though he couldn't figure out why. She had saved him though, and allowed him to get away while she held those guards off. That meant she couldn't be threat to him. Despite what his head had been saying, he had followed the preistess' commands and ran away from Naraku's castle. He silently preyed she was alright, though he was in no rush to go back to that castle. He'd find help somewhere, and _then _get her out of there.

As Kohaku was running, he kept on stumbling and tripping. He fell over at least twice and each time he hurt himself more. He was starting to become afraid now.

All the time though, something kept him going. A name. An image. _" My sister, Sango. "_

She was the only person he could truly remember. Her and he little nekomata, Kirara. He'd remembered what Naraku had made him do to his family so long ago. Naraku had placed him under his control and ordered him to slaughter his entire family and the rest of the demon slayers. He killed every one of them, all except Sango, who he'd only injured.

Before he'd been able to kill Sango, he'd been shot from behind by a bunch of arrows, and he'd actually died. Naraku had brought him back to life though, using a shard of the shikon jewell. Kohaku had previously had no memories of his past whatsoever, and the shard in his back was the only thing that kept him alive. After a while though, he'd regained his memorries of that day. He knew what a terrible thing he'd done to his family, and to his sister Sango...he didn't want to remember.

After regaining his memories, he could remember faintly travelling with another priestess...Kikyou...her name was Kikyou. She had kept his shard pure, but it wasn't long before Naraku killed her aswell. Then, he remembered, he had travelled with Sesshoumaru. Sometime after that, Naraku had finally removed the shard from his back. It should have killed him, but something had saved him from death.

Narku kept as his personal prisoner. He tortured him to no end, but then Naraku dissapeared for a while. Kohaku heard rumours that he'd been destroyed, but they were _only_ rumours. Kohaku's freedom hadn't lasted long, as he was soon recaptured this time by a bunch of tainted humans working for Naraku, and then brought to that new castle of his. He was tortured all over again.

When he'd seen Naraku's face, he was surprised to see it was covered in scars and...scorch marks...?

Something bad had happened to him, and Kohaku soon realised that Naraku now possessed only half of the sacred jewell. What _had _happened?

The miko who saved him, Kagome, had had a strange air about herself. She meant him no harm, he had gathered, but there still something strange. Her eyes were lost, almost, like she didn'y know herself. Kohaku only to well knew that feeling. He had wanted to help her like she'd helped him.

It was too late now though, and the best he could do to help her was find some help from the nearby villagers, he had no weapon.

Kohaku stumbled once more, and fell to the ground. Before he hit the ground though, he felt something soft. He looked up to see two emrald cat-like eyes staring at him. Kohaku gasped.

He'd landed on a giant neko!

Kohaku backed down in fear, afraid he had disturbed the fierce looking demon. But the demon wasn't attacking him in any way, he was _sniffing _him.

" You, " the neko demon began, " You smell of my mistress..."

His mistress? A woman? Who could that be?

" Tell me where the miko is! "

_Miko? _Did he mean Kagome?!

" I...She..." Kohaku stumbled on his words.

The neko growled lightly, but stopped when he took in the sight of the young boy. He sniffed him again.

_" He smells of my mistress...but also...Naraku!! "_

Kohaku became very afraid when he heard the neko's intense growling increase.

_" Naraku! Is he in lead with Naraku? But...wait...this boy...isn't tainted..."_

Kohaku suddenly became very weak. He struggled to stand.

_" He also smells of...that demon slayer!! "_

The neko watched as Kohaku fainted onto him, completely worn out. _Kari _wanted to get to his mistress, he was sure he knew where she was now. But he couldn't just leave this boy here all alone. Kari looked around. He'd lost that half-witt InuYasha a while back, it was almost as if the mutt had dissapeared. No tainted barrier could keep a spiritual neko demon like himself from comming inside it. InuYasha shouldn't have been able to come in though...maybe Naraku had let him in...

Another moan escaped the boy. Kari picked the boy's collar up in his teeth, and set off into the sky. He would take this boy to the demon slayer and monk, who he knew were trying to find a way inside the barrier. _" Maybe they know this child..."_

_-Sango and Miroku-_

Sango looked up abruptly when she saw a great shadow cast over them. Miroku did the same. They both gasped when they saw Kari flying down towards them. They noticed he was holding something by the scruff in his mouth...

_" Ko...Kohaku...?"_

The neko landed infront of them.

" Demon slayer? Do you know this boy? He has your scent on him..." Kari asked.

Sango stood in complete shock. She very nearly dropped Kirara and almost fainted, Miroku caught her though. She swayed a little from side to side, her heart had stopped beating.

" Ko...haku?..." Sango stammered, as she slowly walked up to the boy Kari held. She placed Kirara in Miroku's arms.

Kari laid him on the ground gently as Sango knelt down beside him. She cradeled Kohaku's head in her arms and just stared at him for a few moments. They she held him in a full embrace, tears beginning to travel down her cheeks.

" Oh...Sango..." Miroku held out his hand to her, and clasped her shoulder lightly. Was Kohaku _really _dead?

Kohaku began to stir in Sango's arms. Both Sango and Miroku looked up. Kohaku was opening his eyes.

Sango looked into his brown orbs hopefully as Kohaku blinked a few times.

" Kohaku?..." Sango asked slowly, almost afraid. Kohaku was alive! She thought Naraku had killed him! But...what if he didn't recognise her?

" Sa...Sango? " Kohaku replied weakly, " Is...that really you Sango? "

" Oh! Kohaku! " Sango wrapped her little brother in a tight embrace, and felt overjoyed when he returned it.

" Kohaku! I thought you were dead! I'm so happy your alive! " Sango continued to cry as brother and sister held onto eachother.

" I'm so sorry Sango..." Kohaku told her, beginning to cry himself.

" It...It's okay Kohaku...I promise...I won't ever let Naruku hurt you again..."

Miroku smiled as he watched Sango and her brother's tearful reunion. He then turned to Kari.

" Where did you find him? "

" He was stumbling around the wood inside that barrier. I was looking for that mutt InuYasha when I found him. I believe he escaped from Naraku's castle, his scent was all over him..."

Miroku nodded gravely and looked up at the barrier once more. The castle was definately where they'd find Naraku.

" Kari? " Miroku asked the neko., " Did you find Kagome or InuYasha? "

" InuYasha went into that barrier somehow. I don't know how, only something pure like a preistess for instance can go through such a tainted wall...hence my connection with Kagome allowed me through...That boy...Kohaku, he had my mistress' scent all over him..."

Miroku looked up at Kari. He made a decision.

" Kari? Do you think you can get me inside that barrier? "

Kari turned to him, a little surprised. Get _him _through the barrier? Sure this man was a monk, but he wasn't completely pure like a priestess.

" I...may be able to...you'll have to ride on my back though..."

Miroku nodded and then turned back to Sango and Kohaku, who had been listening in on the conversation.

" Miroku? I'm comming with you..."

" No Sango. You need to stay here with Kohaku and Kirara. Get them to a village nearby, and look for help. "

Sango was about to protest when Miroku wrapped her into a hug.

" Please Sango. Do this for me? Stay safe...keep your family safe...I have to go and find InuYasha and lady Kagome, but Kohaku needs you here with him, and so does Kirara..."

Sango thought about it. She looked down at her brother. She couldn't leave him alone again, and as much as she desperately wanted to find Kagome and InuYasha with Miroku, she still couldn't leave Kohaku on his own again. Kirara needed help aswell.

" Alright Miroku. " Sango looked at him, " Just promise me you'll be careful, and don't you _dare _use that wind tunnel unless you absolutely have to..."

Miroku hugged Sango gratefully, and gave a silent prayer that she'd be safe. Sango pulled back from the hug and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

" For good luck, " She stated blushing.

Miroku looked at her lovingly, before standing up once more and launching himself onto Kari's back. Kari took off.

Sango watched with concern as the two got closer to the barrier's wall.

" Hold on tight monk! " Kari called to Miroku through the wind, " Trust in me completely and let your spirit focus souly on getting through that barrier! "

Miroku concerntrated hard, clasping Kari's soft fur tightly. He braced himself for a hard impact if they didn't make it through the barrier.

The impact never came though, as he and kari were able to pass together through the barrier.

_" Hold on my friends..." _Miroku said mentally, _" help is comming..."_

Back on the ground, Sango watched in relief when Miroku was able to pass through the barrier.

_" Please be careful Miroku..."_

_-InuYasha and Kagome-_

InuYasha awoke from a much more pleasant sleep than before. That nightmare seemed so far away now.

He smiled when he noticed he was laying with his head in Kagome's lap. She was still sleeping.

He looked up at her properly. Her face looked so peaceful, like how she used to sleep when they made camp out under the stars. He really missed times like that. He'd always taken it for granted, but he swore if he could ever get Kagome's memories back that he'd value every second of times like that.

With his demon hearing he could tell that Kagome was murmuring in her sleep a little. He heard the same names over again.

" Naraku...Midoriko..."

He began to worry when he saw he start to sweat in fear, and her eyes shut tightly as if trying to rid something from her mind. He wanted to reach up and hold her, but the chains that still remained on his wrists prevented him from doing so. He growled.

His ears then twitched again and swiveled towards the prison door. He could hear footsteps getting closer and closer.

" The master says to bring the miko and half-demon, " InuYasha heard a voice say.

Before InuYasha could react the door swung open with a harsh bang. Two large men stood in the doorway. _" Humans...? "_

InuYasha growled deeply when he saw them step towards him and Kagome. The men haulted in fear a little but soon shrugged it off when they saw the half-demon was restrained.

" Don't make me laugh demon..." One of then said. He pulled from behind his back a large block of wood and swiped InuYasha in his stomach, causing him to to launch back in pain. He clenched his teeth together tightly. That _shouldn't _have hurt so much...was he nearing the new moon? The night he became human? He looked out the small window in the cold room. Night was approaching...but there was _still _no moon...

He turned his attnetion back to the men as they yanked him up by his hair from Kagome's lap. They hit him in the stomach again, causing him to cough up blood. He could see them laughing at his apin and that only made him angrier. He got even more angry when he saw one of the men reach down for Kagome.

With some difficulty, InuYasha leapt to his feet and leaped at the men, catching them completely off guard. They yelled in fear but before InuYasha could reach them they smelt a sweet inscense in the room. The smell hit InuYasha's sensitive nose and he soon felt the effects of the insense take its toll on his body. He began to weaken and slowly began to fall to the floor.

The last thing he saw was another man in the doorway holding a bag of scent beads. He turned his head with one final worried glance at Kagome as the men hoisted her limp and still sleeping form over their shoulders. InuYasha then blacked out.

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**So, thoughts anyone?**

**Thankyou to EVERYONE that reviews and continues to do so, they do make me happy **


	15. True Intent

**Next chapter!**

**Read, review and enjoy plz **

**True intent**

InuYasha awoke in a grand old room. The wall was made of grey stone, as was the floor. It felt like ice.

He looked up to see there was no roof or shelter covering the room, the night sky just loomed over him. There weren't alot of stars out. There was no moon...

InuYasha suddenly realised what that meant. He looked down at himself. His hair was jet black, and his claws were gone and replaced with regular human nails. His keen sense of smell had dissapeared aswell, and he definately couldn't see in the dark as well as he usually could.

_" I'm human. "_

Wait. Where was Kagome?

InuYasha slowly got up and found the shackles from before had been removed from his wrists, leaving them slightly red and swollen. He didn't care though.

_" Kagome, where have they taken you? I swear if they've hurt you I'll rip there insides out! Human or not! "_

Suddenly InuYasha heard noises from outside the room's door. It sounded like squelching...and splattering...and he heard several short gasps of pain...

The wooden door was blasted open. A figure came flying in. One of Naraku's human guards.

" What?..." InuYasha gasped at what he saw.

The guard's eyes were wide open and glassy. He had a bloody slit across his neck, and more blood was leaking from his mouth. Someone had slit his throat and killed him. He noticed it was one of the guards who had knocked him out before.

More noises could be heard from outside the door. Cries of pain, men begging for...mercy? What was going on?

Thuds of bodies landing on the floor echoed from beyond the door, and then footsteps could be heard. InuYasha looked closely at the doorway. The outline of of two figures were comming through the door.

As they walked in, the shadows dispersed to reveal the two figure's identity. The figure of Naraku came into view first, and InuYasha gritted his teeth and attempted to growl. He'd been waiting for this moment to get his revenge for a long time...

InuYasha stopped growling when he saw the second figure emerge.

Naraku had each of his scarred hands on the new figure's shoulder, squeezing them slightly. The spider demon's smirk grew and grew as he watched InuYasha's jaw find itself a spot on the cold floor, and even chuckled lightly when he saw the shocked and confused expreession in his now human violet eyes.

_-with Miroku and Kari-_

" Kari! I thought you told me you could find the castle Naraku is hiding in! Why haven't we found it yet!? " Miroku yelled through the souring wind.

Himself and Kagome's neko friend had been flying suspended over the dark wood inside the barrier for well over an hour now. Kari had started to become very anxious.

_" I don't understand, I am sure the castle was here in the centre of this wood...Is that bastard Naraku hiding it somehow? "_

" Monk just shut up and hold on tightly! We WILL find that castle and rescue Kagome _and _InuYasha! " Kari yelled back at the monk as they continued to fly over the woodland landscape.

_-Naraku and InuYasha-_

InuYasha couldn't stop staring.

_" Ka...gome...? "_

It was Kagome.

She was standing infront of Naraku as his hands clasped her shoulders. Her eyes were incredibly vacant and lifeless, no light whatsoever shone in them. Her expression was emotionless. He'd only ever seen such an emotionless expression on one person before, and he'd only ever _preyed _he'd _never _see it on Kagome.

**Flashback**

_**" Kikyou..." InuYasha whispered the dead miko's name as he watched her sitting there on the ground near the witch Urasue. **_

_**She held such a strange and yet chilling expression on her face...like she was...souless...**_

_**InuYasha held his breath as bright arrows of light came out of Kagome's body and into Kikyou's, her expression never changing as the light shot into her reincarnated body.**_

**End Flashback**

" No..." The human InuYasha whispered.

Naraku watched with consistent amusement as he watched InuYasha scan Kagome. This was going to be far more enjoyable than he first thought...

Kagome was wearing blue body armour, with a white kimono and red hakama underneath. She carried a long sword at her side in a sheath (a/n: ok imagine what the fake Kikyou in movie 4 looks like and wears! Similar attire! ').

There was a silver, pointed crown across her forehead. Pressed in the crown against Kagome's forehead was a jewell...a light, pink and glowing jewell...though only half of it...it was also very tainted...

" The...the sacred jewell..."

_" What has Naraku done to you Kagome? "_

" Why the expression InuYasha? " Naraku asked, still sneering.

" What have you done to Kagome you filthy Bastard!!? " InuYasha demanded.

" Oh...a little alteration..." Naraku continued to sneer.

" What _kind _of alteration!? " InuYasha once again demanded.

" Oh...well you see the tainted half of the shikon jewell on this miko's forehead? Yes? It's full of _my _tainted light...it's controlling her under _my _command..."

" WHAT!? KAGOME WOULD _NEVER _TAKE ORDERS FROM YOU!! " InuYasha yelled.

" Yes...I must admit it was quite a struggle bringing her under my control...but I eventually managed it...such a strong will power this girl has..."

" WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING NARAKU!!?? "

Naraku chuckled.

" Revenge half-breed, revenge. This girl you have developed such deep affection for is the reason I had to sink as low as to accept human help...the reason I have been in hiding for the last four months...the reason I was nearly defeated on that day!!

" I managed to survive when I found half of the shikon jewell washed up on shore, just waiting for me...I used it to taint those human guards and bring them under my control! I only need the other half to have full power once more! Kagome may have nearly killed me, but she is the _only _one left who can sense the jewell...I plan to use her to help me find it...then I shall dispose of her personally...she WILL pay for what she did to me! "

InuYasha had heard enough. He roared and lunged at Naraku, intent on slicing him in half with any power he could muster from inside him. He was stopped though, as Kagome stepped infront of Naraku once more, parting her arms from her sides slightly, still holding that _souless _expression.

" Kagome! "

InuYasha skidded to a hault before he hit Kagome. He _wouldn't _hurt her. He would _never _hurt Kagome...

" Naraku...you Bastard! " InuYasha growled as he realised that Naraku was using Kagome like some sort of human shield. Naraku laughed.

" Ku Ku Ku...It seems my plan is in full motion...you'll _never _hurt the woman you love, will you InuYasha? So pathetic...human hearts truely are weak..." Naraku said cooly as he placed one of his hands in Kagome's hair, raking his fingers through it.

" DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!!! " InuYasha bellowed, his mind seeing red. He wanted to cut that Bastard into tiny, tiny bits. How dare he even _think _about touching Kagome like that?

Kagome seemed unphased by the gesture, hardly moving at all. She was still standing infront of Naraku, he eyelids partly closed over.

" Ku Ku Ku...We must be going now...I shall leave you to meet your death here InuYasha...fighting you like this is such a waste of my energy...the human guards are dead, you will have no problem with _them..._"

With that Naraku summoned a thick mist that covered himself and Kagome. InuYasha ran forward calling Kagome's name. When the mist dissapeared, both her and Naraku were gone.

" KAGOMEEEE!!!! " InuYasha bellowed into the night air, knowing he'd failed to protect her again, and fearing she would never remember him now.

InuYasha sunk to his knees, and then repeatedly pounded his fist on the stone floor. Blood soon followed. His bangs covered his eyes.

**" InuYasha, don't loose hope yet..."**

A voice sounded to InuYasha's ears, one he didn't quite recognise.

" Who...Who are you?..." InuYasha croaked out.

**" Do not be alarmed, I am here to help..."**

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**So, who could that be do you think??**

**Plz review!**


	16. The Mistake

**The mistake**

**" Do not be alarmed, I am here to help..."**

" Show yourself! " Human InuYasha demanded the mysterious voice.

**" I cannot show myself physically, son of InuTaisho, " **The voice told him gently.

" Why the hell not!? " InuYasha demanded, beginning to feel a little frustrated.

**" I am only here in **_**spirit, **_**in **_**your **_**mind..."**

" Who _are _you? "

The voice was quiet for a few seconds.

**" I am...Midoriko, " **The voice finally answered, **" And I have done a terrible thing..."**

_-Miroku and Kari-_

" Look! The barrier surrounding this wood is dissapearing!! " Miroku yelled to Kari, and sure enough, the black barrier consuming them vanished, fading away into mist.

Kari wasted no time. The moment that barrier had vanished, the castle himself and the monk had been searching for came into clear view. There was just one thing though...Naraku's presence had dissapeared.

Kari flew down towards the castle with Miroku, and felt _almost _relieved when he felt InuYasha's presence nearby. Fear struck both Kari and Miroku however, when they realised Kagome's presence was gone too.

_-InuYasha-_

_" Midoriko?..." _InuYasha thought, _" How can __**she **__be here with me? "_

**" I know this is strange, InuYasha. You must however look past that and accept my...You must let me help make ammends..."**

InuYasha looked perplexed for a second.

" What do you mean? "

**" It is my fault. The miko Kikyou was reluctant to do something like this to Kagome...but I thought it was the only way..."**

" What are you talking about!? " InuYasha demanded.

**" I...I sealed Kagome's memories..."**

InuYasha's eyes widened momentarily. Kari had said something about this...

**" That was my true mistake. I should never have sealed Kagome's original memories..."**

InuYasha suddenly felt a flow of anger rush through him. He was _furious _with Midoriko. How dare _she _do this to Kagome! Midoriko may have been a powerful miko in her time but that gave her no right to seal away something like a person'd life memories! Kagome had no memories of her family! She had none of Sango or Miroku! None of Shippo! None of _him! She, _Midoriko, was the cause of Kagome's suffering!

**" I can sense the anger inside you InuYasha, and I cannot blame you. When myself and Kikyou helped save Kagome from certain death, there was only one thing on my mind...destroy Naraku..."**

Though still angry, InuYasha listened intently to what Midoriko had to say.

**" To me, a priestess' loyaltys should lie in only there given duties, and nothing else. If a priestess becomes to involved or emotionally attached to another...their powers weaken...or at least I thought that was the case...at least with all priestess'...I was truly wrong with lady Kagome though...**

**" My mind was souly focused on riding this world of Naraku, who desires the shikon jewell and would stop at nothing to regain his full, and evil power again. Kagome, the reincarnation of Kikyou, was the only living preistess left with the power to defeat him. I thought, however, that Kagome would be...distracted...unfocused on her mission because of...**_**you...**_**"**

" Me?..." InuYasha asked, surprised.

**" Yes, you InuYasha. Kagome had strong feelings for you and your friends...you especially. She would never willingly leave you all or concertate on her given mission if you had your way..."**

" Damn straight! " InuYasha snapped, " I'd never let her do something that would put her life in jeapordy like this! "

**" Aye...as was my fault. I sealed away Kagome's memories inside the jewell itself, with the aid of Kikyou..."**

" Kikyou? "

**" Yes. The last ounce of Kikyou's will aided me. She was reluctant to help, knowing the consequences on you and Kagome's part..."**

" Kikyou wouldn't do something like that! "

**" InuYasha you must listen. That last of Kikyou's will and light is gone. She helped me seal Kagome's memories and then passed on to the spirit world...but not before sending her younger sister Kaede a certain vision of what was to come. I am sure you are aware of that..."**

_" It really was Kikyou who contacted Kaede then..." _InuYasha thought, his shoulders hunching a little.

**" Myself and Kikyou sealed Kagome's memories inside the jewell. We did not actually intend for them to be sealed for all eternity however..."**

InuYasha's eyes widened once more at that and his face shot up.

**" It was my vision that once Kagome had completed her mission of defeating Naraku, the jewell would purify and Kagome's memories would become unsealed..."**

InuYasha's heatbeat increased dramtically. " There _is _a way to get Kagome's memories back!? "

**" If Naraku is defeated, then yes. He must be defeated by Kagome though..."**

" What!? " InuYasha's heart froze, " She could be killed! "

**" That was always a possibility wether on this mission or not. You of all people must know this InuYasha, Kagome did even before all this...but still she stayed here...with you...and that, I have to say, is one of the most remarkable things about this woman...**

**" She always wanted to stay with you, no matter what, She was even willing to put her life in danger to be with you...and yet you turned her away...countless times..."**

InuYasha felt a wave of guilt pile up on him. He had never truly wanted Kagome gone from his side. The first time he tried to keep her away he had feared for her life, feared that he'd loose another woman he was beginning to have feelings for...the second time he had done it because of his duty to Kikyou. He knew Kagome always got hurt when he went to see Kikyou...he thought asking her to stay with him was unfair to her...but it seemed it only hurt Kagome more...

**" This stange yet remarkable quality in Kagome is one rarely found in a human being, be they miko or not. I realise my mistake now in taking that away from her, I now know why Kikyou was so reluctant to do so...Kagome's emotions do not make her weak...her emotions...her friends...**_**you...**_**you all make her so much stronger..."**

Before InuYasha could respond to this, he heard a familiar voice shout his name from behind. InuYasha whirled round to see a flustered Miroku scrambling off of Kari's back and running over to him, the neko following behind.

" InuYasha! Are you alright!? " Miroku asked as he haulted infront of the half demon.

InuYasha sighed sacatically at the monk.

" Sure Miroku, I'm great. Kagome's been kidnapped and mind controlled by Naraku, and now I've found out that _she's _the only one that can defeat him! "

Miroku looked taken aback.

" How do you know that?..." Miroku asked InuYasha.

" errr..." InuYasha didn't know how to explain the whole Midoriko thing...

**" Just tell him you just know InuYasha, the monk is your friend, he will believe you..."**

" I...I just know that's the case Miroku! Now we _have _to find Kagome before she helps Naraku find the last piece of the jewell! "

" Last piece!? " Miroku asked surprised, " What do you mean!!? "

" Grrr! YES MIROKU!! The jewell is in two halves! Naraku has one half which he has corrupted and is using to control Kagome! He plans on using Kagome to help him find the other lost half of the jewell, and when she's found it that bastard's going to **KILL **her!! THAT he told me himself! " InuYasha panted as he caught his breath.

Miroku's eyes widened in shock and fear for his friend's life.

**" Beautifully summarised InuYasha..." **

" Shut up! "

" I beg your pardon InuYasha? " Miroku asked surprised, and becomming increasingly annoyed with the half demon's odd behaviour.

InuYasha sighed heavily, running a hand through his raven hair.

" Never mind Miroku! Right now we need to focus on finding Kagome and stopping Naraku from getting the last part of the jewell! Now...where's Sango and Kirara!? "

" Sango is back at the last village with Kirara and...Kohaku..." Miroku said slowly.

" Kohaku!? " InuYasha now asked, surprised, " Ho-?!"

InuYasha was cut off from a growl from Kari. It was claer the neko wanted to and save his mistress.

InuYasha's mind became focused souly on Kagome once more. He went over to Kari and hopped onto the neko's back, motioning for Miroku to do the same.

" What do you think you're doing half demon!? " Kari demanded.

" Can you try and sniff Kagome's whereabouts out!? You can get us to her faster if you can! " InuYasha pointed out.

Kari thought for a moment. He knew that Midoriko was talking to InuYasha in his mind, as Midoriko was the one who created the neko demon. He could sense Midoriko's spirit several miles off...

" Very well, _InuYasha_..." Kari finally agreed as he took off in the air.

InuYasha had a thought.

He spoke to Midoriko in his mind.

_" Say?...Midoriko? Can this damn neko sense you here in my mind?..."_

**" Well...yes...I did create him..."**

_" You created him? "_

**" What do you take me for, InuYasha? I know sealing Kagome's memories was wrong but I still wasn't so determined as to let lady Kagome face her mission completely on her own. I created Kari to keep her company and assist her if needed..."**

InuYasha felt grateful to Midoriko for the first time. So the miko hadn't wanted Kagome completely cut off from other life...

**" But you know InuYasha, I don't think my act of sealing Kagome's memories in the jewell was as affective as I first believed. She may not remember her past life, but something from it did stay with her...and it has been there inside her all these past four months...I realised when I saw the way she felt so distracted when she saw you again..."**

_" What do mean Midoriko? "_

**" Her feelings for **_**you **_**remain...they were locked away deep in her heart, but whenshe saw you again...they were set free again..."**

_" Feelings for...me? What are going on about woman!? Kagome doesn't..."_

**" You may never know how wrong you are...son of InuTaisho..."**

InuYasha questioned what she meant by that, but pushed it aside. Kagome couldn't have had _those _type of feelings for him...he knew she cared...but...love?...It wasn't possible...was it?

**(a/n: InuYasha is incredibly clueless...)**

Midoriko didn't know exactly where the other half of the jewell was hidden, but she could still sense its presence, with her soul being the very thing the jewell was made up of. She was passing on what little knowledge she could to Kari, hopefully sending him in the right direction. Only in spirit form, Midoriko couldn't assist InuYasha and his friend as much as she'd like, but when the time was right, she _could _help Kagome defeat Naraku...

As they flew over the nearest village, Miroku sent a silent prey for Sango. He only hoped she'd be alright on hwer own down there with Kohaku.

" Be safe Sango, I will be back for you..." Miroku whispered into the wind.

InuYasha hadn't spoken to Midoriko for a while. Her presence was gone for the time being, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

_" Kagome...I don't know if you can hear me...but just know I'm comming to save you...I promise I'll get you back here with me, and after that I'll never let you fall into the wrong hands again...everything will be like it used to be...you'll see..."_

_-Kagome and Naraku-_

The mist surrounding them dissapeared, revealing their figures to the landscape. Naraku turned and looked to Kagome, one of his hands still clasping her shoulder.

" You are sure it is near here, miko? " Naraku asked quietly.

Kagome nodded her head once, still keeping that same, vacant and lifeless expression.

" Ku Ku Ku...very good...remember Kagome...alive or not, your soul belongs to me now, and you will do as I tell you, " Naraku hissed to her, emphasising his point.

Kagome did nothing, still unphased by his words. The dark jewell on her forehead glowed lightly, and Kagome's body moved forward, walking towards the approaching village. Naraku followed her closely.

As the villagers saw the priestess enter the village, their hearts were filled with joy. The village elder noticed the miko's appearence and joyfully came forward to welcome her back into his village. The miko who had defeated that slime demon from before had returned! Kagome had come back to them!

As the villagers came to greet their beloved miko friend, they soon realised that something really wrong with her. Filled with light but insecurity about herself before, Kagome's eyes held no light or emotion about them whatsoever. The blue armour she wore over her preistess garb, and the sword she carried at her side...the...the crown on her forehead...the glowing jewell on the crown!

Something wasn't right...

What scared the villagers more however, was the man who came up behind Kagome. The half spider demon that they had heard terrible stories about...

The village elder instantly knew the half demon was controlling Kagome, he could sense it, and it had something to do with that jewell...

He ordered the villagers to retreat to their huts, while the warriors came out to defend.

The elder turned to Naraku.

" You, cursed demon! Release lady Kagome from your evil spell! "

" Ku Ku Ku..." Naraku chuckled. He shot a tentacle forward, and it sliced the elder's throat. He lay bloodied up on the ground, motionless.

The warriors came forward at seeing their elder die, yelling loud battle cries. Each one of them Naraku slew though, with a single slash of his tentacle.

Kagome barely registered what was going on, not even flinching as the killer tentacles shot past her and into the men's throats.

The villagers left in the huts screamed and covered their eyes. The children screamed for their parents. The girl who had given Kagome the golden bracelet from before looked on in disbelief when she saw her uncle, the village elder fall. _Why, Uncle?..._

" Now Kagome..." Naraku began his next command, " Find me the rest of the shikon jewell! Kill anyone who gets in your way! "

Kagome walked forward gravely, barely making a sound as her red hakama blew around the body armour that covered her waist. She felt nothing, but could sense a powerful aura comming from just beyond this village. She continued walking, paying no attention to the villagers who watched her with worry but anticipation. What had Naraku done to Kagome?

The elder's neice looked up at Kagome's form, which was now walking into the forest where the slime demon from before had come from. The kind miko she had met, the one who had saved their village not once, but _twice_...she had to be in there still!

The girl jolted forward, her pink kimono blowing along behind her. Her mother reached forward to stop her but missed her when she tripped and fell.

The girl ran infront of Kagome and held on little arms out, eyes looking deep into Kagome's cold ones and pleading with her to find herself.

" Please lady Kagome! Don't you remember me!? Don't you remember us!? You saved us a while back from the demons that attacked this village! You showed us kindness we had never seen before! I know you don't want to do what that spider demon says! You have to break free of his control! " The girl continued to wail, and when no response came from Kagome, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around the miko's legs tightly, hugging them to her.

Naraku's voice sounded in Kagome's head, the _only _voice she could hear.

_" Kill anyone that gets in your way! "_

Kagome manouvered the girl off of her legs, and the young child fell to the ground, landing in a sitting position. She gased up fearfully when she heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed, and nearly fainted in fear when she saw Kagome direct her sword at her. She squeaked in fright.

Kagome prepared to strike, but just as she brought her sword down to kill the young girl, she stopped. The way this girl was cowering before her...so frightened and young..._she _had caused that fear...

What was this? An emotion perhaps...? Sadness...guilt...reluctance to kill such an innocent young girl...?

Kagome brought the sword back above her head, just holding it there. She kept trying, but she just _couldn't _bring herself to kill this girl. Something deep inside her was talling her to hurry up and dispose of the 'brat', but something hidden even deeper inside was telling her to spare her life...

The glowing from the jewell faktered a little.

Suddenly, there was a whooshing sound above Kagome's head, and she barely had time to register what was going on when her sword was knocked clean out of her hand. The movement knocked her out of her temparary trance, and she felt a cold voice calling her back to him. She obeyed and ran back to Naraku, standing infront of him once more.

InuYasha, Miroku and Kari landed abruptedly. InuYasha had jumped off of Kari at the last second and swiped the sword out of Kagome's hand. He had seen her hesitate in trying to kill that young village girl, and knew the _real _Kagome was still in there somewhere...

He just had to help her find herself.

InuYasha saw Kagome now standing once more infront of Naraku. He growled deeply as Miroku and Kari got into a battle stance, ready to attack Naraku.

" Ku Ku Ku...You are all very foolish comming here, intending to stop me, there is no way you can...and Kagome...she'd lost to you all now..."

" Don't speak so confidently Naraku, we know lady Kagome is still in there, she is far stronger than you give her credit for! " Miroku yelled as Kari brandished his teeth in fierce agreement.

" Feh! Prepare to die Naraku! " InuYasha yelled, brandishing Tetsusaiga.

" Give it up InuYasha, there is no way you can brake the control I have over Kagome...let alone get her memories of you back..." Naraku said cooly.

" We'll see about that, Naraku..." InuYasha retorted just as cooly.

" Ku Ku Ku...Useless InuYasha...you don't stand a chance in your human state...Kagome...kill anyone that stands in the way of the jewell...starting with InuYasha..."

Naraku flew high into the air, watching from a distance as Kagome slowly came forward, picking up her fallen sword and aiming it at InuYasha.

InuYasha came forward aswell. He put Tetsusaiga away in its sheath once more.

" There's no way on earth that I'm gonna hurt you with Kagome...If it is a fight you want then so be it..." InuYasha ran forward at Kagome. _" If I can knock that crown off her head she'll be free of Naraku's control! " _

Kagome ran forward. She swung at InuYasha and he was surprised at how good her aim had been. A few strands of his black hair fell to the ground. He'd narrowly missed the blow.

Kagome came again. This time she managed to swipe him on the cheek, causing blood to seep through. InuYasha was unphased by it though, as he came forward and grabbed Kagome's wrists.

" Snap out of it Kagome! This isn't what you wanna do! " He yelled in her face. She still seemed unphased by this though, and her eyes only appeared all the more hasier.

InuYasha growled and hit the back of her legs lightly, causing her to fall backwards with him on top of her. InuYasha grabbed her chin and looked deeply into her eyes.

" Come on Kagome, I know you recognise me..." InuYasha pleaded with her, almost begging with his own violet eyes.

InuYasha just longed to see the warmth return to her eyes, and look upon him with the light and care she used give in them. He missed those gentle, caring eyes so much...

InuYasha looked down to her lips. He had missed Kagome so much when she had supposedly died, and he'd had his heart broken again when she didn't remember any of them when he found her alive again. Everything that had happened to him, everything he been able to feel over the past four months since that fateful day when he'd thought he'd lost Kagome forever came crashing back into his mind...curse these human emotions...

InuYasha leaned his head down to Kagome's, his black hair mingling with hers. She didn't do anything. InuYasha wasn't sure wether that was a good thing or not, but he continued to lower his head anyway, until his lips were pressing against hers.

_" Kagome..."_

Miroku, Kari and the villagers watched in astonishment. Naraku watched in disgust. A priestess and a half demon...

Something inside Kagome began to click...who was this boy kissing her?

The feeling dissapeared though, when the jewell on her forehead shone brightly once more. She forced InuYasha off her, and rolled him onto his back, leaning on top of him and pointing her sword at his throat.

InuYasha was surprised at the movement, but couldn't find it in himself to do anything but look into her eyes as she pointed her sword at his throat.

Kagome was getting that...feeling...again...

She didn't want to hurt this boy, something inside her lost soul was telling her not to...who was he? Who had...who was he to her? Why was he looking at her like that?...She began to wish he'd stop...his intense stare gave her a strange fluttering feeling in her chest...

InuYasha looked into her face and saw she was hesitating once more. Her brow furrowed as if she was trying to work something out...like when she use to work out problems from that 'maths book' of hers...

" Kagome..." He whispered her name to her.

One more intense gaze and Kagome found she couldn't stand it. She jumped off of him and ran for the forest, trying to get as far away from the boy as she could.

" KAGOME!! " InuYasha yelled as he got up and ran after her.

_" I'm not letting you go again Kagome! "_

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**There we go, plz review!**

**If your wondering where Shippo and Kaede have been all this time, that will be explained in later chapters, promise! **

**Next chapter title preview:**

**" ****Goodbye Kari**** "**


	17. Goodbye Kari

**Here is the next chapter then!**

**Enjoy and plz review!**

**Goodbye Kari**

InuYasha bounded after Kagome. Still in his human form, he wasn't as fast as he'd normally be, but he could still keep up with Kagome. She was just a little way infront of him...

He'd be a half demon again soon enough, the sun wasn't far off from rising.

InuYasha had failed to notice that Kari was following behind him. When he did realise the neko was tailing him, he turned his head round to get a better look. Kari was catching him up. InuYasha feh'd and payed the neko no mind. He directed his attention back to Kagome.

_" Damnit! " _

Kagome had dissapeared from his view.

While InuYasha was busy cursing his stupidness, Kari jumped forward and leapt ahead of him. InuYasha looked on at Kari who it seemed was alot faster that he. Kari was now way ahead of him, and catching up with Kagome.

Kagome ran as fats as she could. There were two voices going on in her head, having an on going battle.

_" Find the jewell Kagome! Forget about that boy! All he has ever done is hurt you! "_

**" No. Do not listen to him Kagome! "**

The voices carried on like that endlessly. The masculine, more colder voice seemed to be winning her over though. The voice had a grasp on her soul...

_" Find the other half of the jewell Kagome! "_

Kagome couldn't resist his call. She felt a pull at her soul from somewhere, and her body began moving in the direction the pull had come from. Kagome walked up to a river. The river was located next to a cliff. Kagome looked up at it and took in its collosal size and magnitude. The voice kept calling to her however, and she continued her search.

Kagome walked up to the river's edge, and something caught her eye. Something small and jagged edged was glistening in the river's edge. It was trapped under something, a small rock. If Kagome had not been able to sense the shikon jewell's presense, she would never have even noticed it there...

The young miko leant down and moved the rock off of the shining object. She picked it up and placed it in the light now erupting from the morning sunrise. She had found the other half of the shikon jewell, as ordered.

A dark shadow cast down over Kagome, and she looked up with her lifeless eyes to see none other than Naraku floating down from the sky towards her.

" Heh heh...Very good Kagome...Now, I command you, give the me the half of the shikon jewell..." Naraku commanded.

Kagome heard the other voice again, and her hand clasped the jewell tightly.

**" Do not give him the jewell Kagome! The jewell is rightfully yours! "**

Kagome hesistated, but only in her mind. Nararku had full control of her body, and she found herself reaching her arm out to place the jewell piece into Naraku's scorched palm...

" NO! MISTRESS KAGOME!! "

Kari flew forward with unimaginable speed. He grabbed Kagome in his teeth by the scruff of her kimono and flung her onto his back, hoisting her into the air with him and out of Naraku's reach.

Kagome barely did anything.

" DAMN YOU NEKO!! " Naraku bellowed in fury as he watched Kari and Kagome fly over the cliff above him.

Kari flew as fast as he could, determined to get Kagome away from Naraku. He was created to keep Kagome company, to stay by her side. In the short time he had known her, he had felt a deep and strong desire to stay with her and protect her. She'd had a strange effect on him as a demon created by a miko. He hated seeing his mistress tortured and controlled by the likes of a half demon like Naraku. He'd never really trusted anyone in this world of the living but Kagome. There were so many dangers in this world, and Kagome seemed like one of the very few beings alive who had not been corrupted in any way. He knew she had no memory of her past, under Naraku's control or not.

When he'd first met her, he'd almost felt sorry for the young girl. Yet, straight away, he'd felt a strange connection with her, a unique bond. He wasn't sure what it had been that had made him feel that way, but he'd wanted nothing more than to see his miko friend happy and smiling. As Kari flew with Kagome, he noticed how she barely moved on her back, and he had to keep shruggging his shoulders to keep her steady on his back. He wanted to see his mistress smile and laugh again, he wanted her to be happy once more.

Kari recalled his first meeting with Kagome...

**Flashback**

_**Kagome notched her arrow as she aimed it at the trembling bush. Something was hiding behind it, ready to come out...**_

_**A glow suddenly surrounded the bush. A ball of light came out of the bush slowly, and landed infront of Kagome. The light dissapeared, and on the ground infront of Kagome landed a small black furred neko, with large black ears and a long black tail.**_

_**Kagome lowered her arrow, and put it back inside her quiver. The neko opened its eyes for the first time, and looked directly at her with piercing, green orbs.**_

_**Kagome bent down and knelt to the cat's level.**_

_**" Where...how did you appear out of light, little neko? I don't sense a threat comming from you...You have a pure...almost familiar aura about you...though it is mixed in with that of a...demons?..." **_

_**The neko stood infront of Kagome. **_

_**" Lady Kagome. I am here to accompany you on your mission, I am with you to serve, and to protect you at all costs, " the small neko stated, as if having rehearsed its little speech.**_

_**" Errr...I mean no offence but...how can you protect me demon? And who exactly sent you here to me? " Kagome asked, puzzled.**_

_**" That is matter to worry about lady Kagome. Please do not be alarmed though, I merely wish to travel with you...perhaps you could do with some company? I promise on my life that I am no threat to you whatsoever. "**_

_**Kagome studied the neko for a few seconds, nefore her face broke out into a happy smile.**_

_**" I really could do with some company...and a friend...Tell me, do you have a name, small neko? "**_

_**" A...A name?..."**_

_**" You don't? Very well then, I shall name you...I would hate to keep calling you 'neko' all the time...How about...Kari? " Kagome asked, placing a finger to her chin in thought.**_

_**The neko demon looked taken aback by the act of Kagome pistoeing upon him a name. He nodded all the same though. He found her rather liked the name...**_

_**" Very well then Kari, you may travel with me, " Kagome finally said, smiling at her new companion.**_

_**She walked off along the dirt path, with Kari following behind her. It felt strange being shown such a bold gesture as being given a name, but Kari liked it all the same. Perhaps he'd make better friends with this kind young miko than he'd first thought...**_

**End Flashback**

Kari remembered how at first he'd only seen Kagome as his assigned person to protect. His view of her had changed drastically though. In there first battle against a demon together, Kari had transformed for the first time infront of Kagome, and he'd been stabbed deeply on one of his thighs. It had been very painful he could remember, but Kagome had done all she could to stop it bleeding, and even stayed awake all night long watching over him, protecting her protector. After that, he had accepted her as more than just someone he was supposed to protect and help, and over the four months that they'd been together he definately saw her as a very close friend. A friend he would protect and die alongside if it meant his mistress would live. He greatly valued his time with Kagome.

As him and Kagome landed on the cliff side, he shuffled her gently off his back and using his head, he pushed her against a tree. He looked into her cold eyes.

" Mistress, you must _never _let Naraku take the other half of the jewell! Please come back to me! Please remember me Kagome! " Kari pleaded with her.

She didn't respond. Kari growled siftly in slight frustration. He looked at the jewell pressed to her forehead.

_" Maybe InuYasha couldn't, being a half demon and all, but me, summoned to this world by Midoriko herself, the very creator of the jewell, may be able to! I may be able to get that jewell off of her forehead! Kagome could purify it then! "_

Kari leaned his head forward, hoping he would be able to get the jewell out of that crown. He was created by Midoriko, and though he was a demon, he was still as pure as any miko!

He bit lightly onto the jewell on Kagome's forehead, then yanked his head backwards, pulling it off of her. Kagome clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut as though she were in pain. The control Naraku had made over her soul was slowly braking...

_-with InuYasha-_

The sun had risen, and InuYasha was a half demon again. His long, silver white hair blew out behind him as he ran, sniffing for Kagome or Kari's scent. Miroku was still back at the village, so he couldn't sense Kagome's spiritual aura.

He came to a hault by a river. Kagome's scent lingered here, as well as...Naraku's...

_" Please, be okay Kagome! What ever you do don't give that bastard the other half of the jewell! "_

InuYasha suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. Kari's scent was here too! Maybe Kari had taken Kagome to safety somewhere away from Naraku's clutches!

InuYasha began searching for their scents again, and his head shot up in fear when he heard Kagome scream...

_-Kari and Kagome-_

_" Forgive me, mistress..." _

Kari gave one final tug at the jewell on Kagome's forehead, and finally, it came off.

Kagome screamed as Naraku's control was broken, and she collapsed in a heap infront of Kari.

" Mistress! " Kari called when he saw her fall. He layed down beside her and gently licked her face with his rough tongue. _" Please wake up mistress, don't leave me..."_

Kagome stirred. She opened her eyes slowly and took in her surroundings. She saw two halves of the jewell lying next to her, one part tainted, the other pure. then she noticed the fuzzy tickiling sensation she was getting on her cheek. Kagome looked up and her eyes met the green eyes of none other than her neko. Her face broke out into a smile, and tears began to stream down her face.

" Oh Kari! " Kagome yelled, wrapping her arms around Kari's neck. She sobbed into his fur as Kari nuzzled her cheek with his pink nose.

" Oh please forgive me Kari! I could have done such a terrible thing today! If you hadn't have done that who knows what I would have done! "

Kari began to purr hapily, then shrunk down to his normal cat size and jumped onto Kagome's lap, rubbing his body against her hakama. Kagome held Kari close to her chest and stroked him behind his ears affectionately. Kari purred even louder.

" My, My...How sweet..."

A sinister voice sounded infront of the pair. Kagome and Kari looked up to have their gazes met with none other than Naraku.

" Hmmm...You have found the other half of the jewell for me Kagome, very well done...even if you are no longer under my control...but no matter...I have what i want..."

Naraku came down and picked up his tainted half of the jewell. The half glowed and swirled around in darkness in his hand.

Naraku then reached for the next half, preparing to taint it aswell. Before he got there though, Kagome sprang forward and grabbed it, keeping it as pure as she could in her palm.

" Blasted miko! Hand over the jewell piece! " Naraku yelled, sending one of his tentacles towards Kagome, intent on striking her. Kari didn't have time to transform, and Kagome had no weapon. She could only lean back in fear as the killer tentacle came towards her...

" TETSUSAIGA!! " InuYasha yelled as he sliced the tentacle in half before it hit Kagome.

_" InuYasha! "_ Kagome screamed in her mind, feeling strangely safe now that he was here.

Naraku reiled back in pain when InuYasha sliced his tentacle, screaming in agony.

" You will pay for that one half-breed! " Naraku swore.

" Keh! Not likely! " InuYasha boasted. He turned round quickly and gathered Kagome in his arms while she held Kari, and carried her back behind the trees and away form Naraku. He looked her over. His heart literally leapt for joy when he saw the light in her eyes had returned, and that the jewell half was no longer stuck to her forehead. He was surprised though, when Kagome leapt forward and latched her arms around his neck in an embrace.

" Ka..Kagome? " InuYasha asked.

" I'm so sorry for what I did to you InuYasha...please forgive me..." Kagome pleaded with him.

InuYasha slowly wrapped his own arms around Kagome's frame.

" Keh! Don't even worry about it Kagome, it was barely a scratch! But what about you? Are you alright? " InuYasha asked while blushing at the close contact.

Kagome nodded against him, feeling glad that she was in his arms...though it still confused her as to why...

A tentacle suddenly shot past them all, narrowly missing InuYasha's side. InuYasha shoved Kagome back behind him, unsheathing Tetsusaiga once more.

Another tentacle came rushing forward, and this time it managed to knock InuYasha flying into another tree.

" Grrr run Kagome! " InuYasha shouted as another tentacle came towards her.

" I'm finished with you miko..." Naraku jeered coldly as he sent forward his killing blow. If Naraku hit Kagome this time...

Kagome ran and jumped out of the way, she landed roughly and ended up rolling over to the cliff edge, where she lay, slowly trying to get up before Naraku attacked again. Her kimono came loose alittle, revealing the scar Kagome had recieved the last time Naraku had almost killed her...the day her memories had been sealed in the jewell bu Midoriko and Kikyou...

" A fine scar you have there Kagome, but I can asure you miko, this time you will suffer from a fate far worse than a simple scratch..." Naraku stated, sending another tentacle at her.

" KAGOME! " InuYasha yelled as he got up and ran towards her. _" I won't make it in time! "_

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut. She would fall to her death by Naraku once more...history would repeat itself again...

Before the tentacle hit though, she heard a great roar of fury from above her. Kagome looked up and was absoulutely horrified to see her neko, her Kari, had taken the blow for her...

" KARIII!!!!!! " Kagome bellowed in disbelief as she watched the transformed Kari hit the ground infront of her.

Kagome got up immediately and ran to his side, holding his head in her arms and then placing it into her lap. Tears rolled down her face.

" KARI! KARI NO! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T DO THIS! " Kagome pleaded with the neko.

Kari's breathing was ragged, he was fading fast.

" I am...glad to know that I will die in your arms mistress...knowing I have saved your life like you did mine the first time we fought together..." Kari managed to stutter.

" No...please don't talk Kari..." Kagome pleaded through her sobs.

" Kagome, please don't cry...I promise I will never truly leave you...I will always be watching over you..."

" Ka...Kari...I...I love you Kari...you're my best friend..." Kagome told the dieing neko.

Kari nodded his head in agreement, silently letting Kagome know their freindship was never one sided, then he closed his green cat eyes, and never opned them again. His body dissapted into bue specks of light that incircled Kagome's form.

" NO! KARI!!!! " Kagome screamed into the air, her hair blowing wildly with the blue light as it dissapeared into the sky.

InuYasha's heart felt crushed when he saw Kari die in Kagome's arms, and he ran to catch Kagome before she fell to the ground in despair. InuYasha allowed her to sob her heart out into his haori, all the while stroking her hair with a clawed hand.

" Feh...pathetic demon..." Naraku finally called from the shadows.

Kagome's body suddenly shook with rage. This was the _last _straw...

Kagome got out from InuYasha's arms and drew her sword from its sheath at her waist, pointing it at Naraku. Her eyes were filled with sadness and fury.

" Naraku..." Kagome spat out his name.

" You _will _pay..."

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Plz review! **

**I will get back to Miroku and Sango soon enough...**


	18. The Sacred Jewell halves completed

**Ok here we go, next chapter!**

**The Sacred Jewell halves completed**

Kagome seethed with anger. Her world dissapeared around her, until there was only her and Naraku.

This monster was the cause of all the suffering. As far as she was concerned, Naraku was the reason she had no memories of her supposed past with InuYasha and his friends. He'd even told her so himself. He's been the one who almost killed her in her previous life. He'd tortured that poor boy Kohaku back at his castle. He'd totured InuYasha. He had _killed _Kari, the only one who had been there for Kagome while she was travelling. Kari was her best friend, and he'd died saving _her..._

Naraku meerly looked at Kagome and sneered. What did this miko think she could do to him? Defeat him, perhaps? _Unlikely..._

Naraku picked up from infront of him the piece of the jewell that had been stuck to Kagome's forehead. It glistened with malice, and only darkened more when Naraku closed his fingers around it. His entire body glowed with tainted light.

Kagome almost backed away a little. _Almost._

InuYasha narrowed his eyes at the scene that was unfolding infront of him. Naraku was absorbing power from the jewell half once more, and if if he reached the other half...

InuYasha looked around frantically for the jewell piece. He found it lying on the ground infront of the tree where he had gotten Kagome and Kari to safety.

_" Kari..."_

InuYasha would admit. He definately hadn't been that fond of the neko when he'd first met him, but over a short period of just a few days, that had changed. InuYasha wouldn't call Kari his _friend _per say, but after the way the neko had stayed with Kagome and protected her while InuYasha hadn't been there...he felt indebted to Kari.

_" Keh! Just one more reason to get rid of Naraku..."_

InuYasha shot at a gallop to the jewell piece. He wouldn't let Naraku have it. If he were to do so, who would know what Naraku would do this time? He'd sworn revenge on Kagome...he'd very nearly killed her last time...what if this time neither Midoriko or Kikyou's spirit could save her? What if Naraku suceeded?...

InuYasha clutched the jewell tightly in his clawed hand, his skin burning slightly at its purity.

Naraku's attention was averted from Kagome and turned to InuYasha.

_" Oh no you don't, InuYasha..."_

Naraku lunged at InuYasha, his hand exploding with purple light.

InuYasha sensed him comming at him and unsheathed Tetsusaiga, ready to defend himself. Naraku laughed, and a thick mist of miasma formed around him. InuYasha had to use the sleve of his haori to cover his mouth from the poisonous air, and his vision was temporarily blinded. He couldn't see a thing, let alone defend himself.

Suddenlu the mist dispearsed, and out of nowhere InuYasha found Naraku on top of him, thrusting one of his deadly tentacles through InuYasha's stomach, causing him to gasp out in pain.

Kagome watched from afar.

_" No...INUYASHA!!! "_

Naraku sneered once more, yanking his tentacle out of InuYasha. InuYasha fell to his knees in pain, clutching his abdomen tightly. His teeth clenched tightly together, and he glared daggers at Naraku. But still, InuYasha kept his hold on the jewell half.

Naraku laughed coldly once more, and prepared to attack InuYasha again. He was stopped dead in his tracks though. He sensed Kagome's aura...and...it...it frightened him...

Naraku turned around and looked Kagome, InuYasha doing the same, squinting at what he saw.

Kagome's eyes were covered by her bangs, and a pink light had surrounded her body. Her fists were clenched tightly, and the angry aura around her increased in enormity. Her hair flew wildly around her.

" Ka...Kagome..." InuYasha stuttered as he tried to make his way forward to her, but stumbling and spewing blood from his mouth.

The angry aura around the young miko grew stronger still.

Naraku stood back a little, fear evident in his features.

" What...What is the meaning of this miko!? " Naraku demanded, the fear etched in his voice.

" You..." Kagome spoke calmly to Naraku, though her voice was laced with venom.

" Don't you _DARE _hurt InuYasha..."

_-with Miroku-_

Miroku had stayed behind with the villagers, but when he'd heard the blood curling roar of pain from Kari, he'd decided to take action.

He bed the villagers well and a silent prayer before running into the forest after his friends. He had to help them, he couldn't let Naraku complete the jewell...

As Miroku was running, a beautiful and soothing face appeared in his mind.

_" Sango..."_

Miroku had left her behind at that village back near Naraku's castle. His heart ached with worry for the demon slayer, much like it had the day she'd been carried off by that bird demon...

_" I was truly afraid that day...loosing Kagome as a friend was hard enough...but if I lost Sango...words couldn't explain such a loss..."_

Suddenly there was a rustle in the trees above him. Miroku came to an abrupt hault, looking up at the late morning sky. The wind had picked up in the air, and a shadow was passing over him from up in the air.

_" Ki...Kirara! " _

The great nekomata landed swiftly on the ground infront of him. She'd certainly recovered from before. On her back was Kohaku...Shippo...Kaede and...Sango!

" MIROKU YOU BAKA!! " Sango yelled as she climbed off of Kirara and stomped towards the shocked monk.

" How dare you leave me like that! You said you'd be back for me! To think I _actually _believed you! I was worried like HELL--" Sango was cut off though, as Miroku wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace, burying his face into her brown hair.

" Mi...Miroku?..." Sango asked, blushing furiously, " What...What are you doing?..."

" Just...let me hold you Sango...just for a few moments...," Came Miroku's reply.

Sango hesitantly wrapped her arms around him too, and suddenly found she wanted the same as him aswell. Sango melted into his embrace, foroughly enjoying it...until...

SLAP!

" YOU CURSED PERVERT! YOU _REALLY _KNOW HOW TO RUIN A MOMENT, DON'T YOU!!??!! "

Kohaku, Kaede, Shippo and Kirara all sweat dropped at the couple, sighing deeply at Miroku's lecherous ways.

" Forgive me my dear Sango, I just couldn't resist..." Miroku admitted innocently, rubbing his sore cheek.

After the little _pleasant _reunion between the monk and demon slayer, Sango explained to him how after she'd found he'd left her with InuYasha and kari in search of Kagome, she'd gotten Kirara and Kohaku and flown after him. On her way she'd encountered Kaede and Shippo, who had also been looking for them all. Miroku told them what had happened to Kagome.

_" That damn Naraku..." _Sango cursed.

" But we can't waste anymore time here! Both of our friends need us right now and have to find them! " Shippo whined, a little more boldly than was expected for him.

Everyone agreed however, and all of them set off in the direction of the river.

_- Kagome, InuYasha and Naraku-_

InuYasha awoke abruptedly to a sharp pain in his lower stomach. The last thing he's remembered was Kagome glowing brightly with miko energy and threatening Naraku. He had passed out after that.

" Kagome! " InuYasha called out her name, looking wildly around for her.

His heart leapt in fear when he saw he laying in a heap not far from him. _" Ka...Kagome..."_

He slowly made his way to her, clutching his bleeding side. The wound was painful, but being a half demon, it would heal soon enough. Right now his only concern was the miko laying before him.

InuYasha collapsed at her side, laying next to her form. Kagome had fainted, it seemed, and Naraku was no where in sight. What had happened?

InuYasha reached his bloodied hand out, and pulled Kagome's body close to his. She was still warm, that was good. She was however, breathing very ragidly, as though out of breath. He placed a hand on her cheek, running his thumb across her jaw line, trying to sooth out her breathing in some way, letting her know he was watching over her.

It didn't seem to be working, so he pulled her entire body into a gentle embrace against his body. He rested his chin on top of hers, and made a deep purring sound from deep within his chest.

InuYasha would never have done this to Kagome before. He used to be so shy and stubborn around the young miko, often covering up his embarrassment with anger, which usually earned him a good sitting. How he wished things would go back to the way they were before, back when they were all travelling together and looking for the jewell shards. Sure their lives hadn't always been perfect, but they were some of the best times InuYasha had ever had in his life.

From when Kikyou had sealed him to the sacred tree, his life had hit rock bottom. The woman he loved had betrayed him, and he believed no one would ever be able to mend it, let alone accept him again. Then, Kagome had entered his life, and unsealed him from that tree. She was the reincarnation of Kikyou, and bore a strong resemblance to her aswell. InuYasha had hated her at first for that, and she hadn't been too fond of him either. Over the time they spent together however, he knew their had taken a turn for the better. InuYasha had found himself becomming increasingly protective of Kagome, and very concerned for her when she got hurt.

He hadn't been able to explain these feelings at first, but found himself at ease when he was in her presence. He had felt happy around her. At peace...

He really had been blind before. He'd felt his still fresh feelings for Kikyou and the debt he owed the dead priestess meant that they could never truly be together. Kagome had still stayed with him though, promising she'd never leave him. He had greatly appreciated that.

InuYasha realised it just then, looking at her unconscious form and listening to her gradually calming breathing. It had taken him over a year to get it, to put the pieces together and realise the truth about what he had been trying to deny since he'd first said Kagome's name.

" I...I lo--"

InuYasha felt the breath knocked out of him. Him and Kagome were blown backwards and into the great tall trees of the surrounding forest. InuYasha took the impact meant for Kagome, sheilding her from the great force of it.

He held Kagome on top of him now, and blowing her black hair from his face, he saw Naraku.

InuYasha growled deeply. He looked to Naraku's palm, and his blood nearly stopped flowing when he realised Naraku now had a _full _jewell in his hand.

_" No..."_

Naraku laughed.

" How foolish was it, of that Kagome...to think she could actually _stop _me?..."

Naraku sneered, and the now complete Shikon jewell began to darken in his palm.

" She will now pay with her life, InuYasha, and you, you will soon follow..."


	19. Purification: Part 1

**Here is the next installment.**

**Before that I would like to apologise for all the typos and spelling mistakes I keep making! I'm usaully fine with them, but recently I just can't seem to spell, and it's REALLY ing me off! I don't have a spell checker either...**

**I'll use my dictionary this time round...may be a theosauraus (pretty sure I spelt that wrong aswell - -).**

**Anyway, please review, review, review!!**

**Purification: Part 1**

Kagome didn't know what was happening to her. She'd witnessed Naraku hurt InuYasha, and it had sent her over the edge.

When Naraku's tentacle pierced InuYasha's flesh, she felt her rage consume her, and an untapped power was unleashed inside of her. She wanted to _really _hurt Naraku. She wanted to _obliterate _him into nothingness, anything that would cause him to suffer. He'd killed her best friend and faithful companion. He _wasn't _about to take InuYasha away from her aswell.

Kagome had allowed the power to take over her body, calling upon her inner strength. It entered her heart and soul and thrived on her anger, exploiting it. She saw Naraku's flash of fear at the ferosity of her aura, and she almost smiled. Her anger only grew when she saw InuYasha loose consciousness and fall to the ground, his blood spilling out of his wound at an alarming rate.

Kagome brought her hands out infront of her. The blue armour she wore clanked with the powerful force, and it nearly melted right off of her white haori. The world around her dissapeared, and there was only her and Naraku. Her soul was completely focused on his demise. She then raised her hands above her head, and a makeshift bow and arrow formed. It should have been pure, but it was tainted and black with the anger Kagome felt.

She brought it down and piosed her arrow ready to fire. She wasn't controlling her actions anymore, the vengeful power was.

Kagome pulled back the arrow on the string, and got ready to let go. She aimed straight for Naraku's heart.

**" Kagome, stop! "**

A voice called out to her. It brought Kagome out of her daze.

_" Midoriko?..."_

**" Yes Kagome, it is me! Please! You must control your anger! If you don't, it will completely consume you and taint your heart to the point it cannot return! "**

_" I can't...I must destroy Naraku..."_

**" An arrow as black as yours will not stop him Kagome. Naraku must be destroyed with something pure! Your arrow will merely futher corrupt his jewell piece, you must regain yourself and purify it! "**

_" Midoriko...Please...help me..."_

**" Kagome, I must tell you something. There is a way to unseal your memories. The jewell must be completed and purified by **_**you.**_** If this can be accompished, the seal will break, and your memories returned. "**

_" How do you know this, Midoriko? "_

**"...I...I am the one who sealed your memories inside the jewell Kagome..."**

_" What?...Why?..."_

**" It matters not anymore Kagome, it was a terrible mistake. I do not expect you to forgive me, but you must let me help make amends..."**

_" How? "_

**" I am going to give you what power I have left. I am only part of the spirit that was left inside the jewell, but I can still give you what strength I have left. Spiritual strength you might say..."**

_" I...Thankyou...Midoriko..."_

**" There is no need for that child. I have caused enough damage already, this is the least I can do. I will combine my power and soul with yours. I can only help this will be enough to purify the jewell once and for all...I give you all my power Kagome...do not make the same mistake I did, allow the bliss your friends give you to help, do not shun them like I intended in the beginning...once more, I am truly sorry..."**

Kagome felt her overwhelming anger leave her instantly as Midoriko's power and soul entered her body. It felt like a long forgotten heaven from deep within the corners of her mind, and she allowed the hope she had gathered from Midoriko's final words warm her own soul. She had the power to unseal her forgotten past, and she would fight Naraku to the very end to get them back.

Midoriko's words echoed in her mind...

_**" Do not make the same mistake I did...allow the bliss your friends give you to help, do not shun them like I intended in the beginning...once more, I am truly sorry..."**_

Kagome wanted the memories of the times she had had with her friends back, so she could have memories to visit in the night, _real, her _memories that she could look back on again...like the ones she must have had before all this happened...though some may have been bad, they would still be _her _own memories...and she would foreve value them...

_" I will never shun them again, Midoriko...and I __**do **__forgive you..."_

Midoriko's power was now connected with her mind, body and soul. The anger dissapeared.

_-InuYasha and Naraku-_

" It really was amusing...that miko Kagome seemed to have no objection in allowing her anger to taint her heart...it was further more amusing when she collapsed infront of me, leaving me with not even a scratch...I suppose the power was to much for her human body to handle...so pathetic..."

InuYasha continued to growl at Naraku. How dare he say that about Kagome! Kagome may have been human, but she was far from weak!

InuYasha stood up slowly, placing Kagome's form behind himself, and then turning to face Naraku. He did his very best to ignore the pain from the wound in his stomach, and instead unsheathed Tetsusaiga, intent on protecting Kagome at all costs. Naraku nearly backed down himself at the intensity of InuYasha's glare.

" I'll _**never **_let you kill her! " InuYasha decreed, still standing infront of Kagome's body.

" Ku Ku Ku InuYasha...You really think you can stop me!? " Naraku yelled, running forward at InuYasha, multiple tentacles flying around him, his power increasing in magnitude at the completed jewell.

" WIND SCAR!! " InuYasha bellowed, sending his powerful attack straight at Naraku. Naraku merely sneered and blocked the attack as if he were swatting away a fly. He continued to charge at InuYasha.

InuYasha growled and tried sending another attack at Naraku. His Tetsusiaga glowed with a brilliant light.

" ADAMENT BARAGE!!! " (A/N I prey to God I spelt _that _right...)

The pieces of adament were sent at Naraku with incredible speed. This time, the attack caused Naraku to double back a little, and InuYasha took this opportunity to get Kagome to a safer spot. He scooped her hastily into his arms and carried her back behind the trees and as far out of Naraku's reach as he could get her.

She stirred slightly. InuYasha looked at her face. Her eyes were opening slowly...

" Inu...Yasha?..."

" Kagome! Are you alright!? "

" I...I think so...but...what about you...you're hurt pretty badly..."

" Feh! It's nothing! "

Kagome sighed and bowed her head, still finding it hard to stay awake. When Midoriko's soul and power combined with hers, it seemed to send her body into a temporary shut down. That didn't matter now though, she was here with InuYasha, and now, she had the power to purify Naraku and the jewell...

" Watch out! " InuYasha yelled as he pushed Kagome out of the way of a blast of energy from Naraku.

" You okay? " InuYasha asked Kagome as he set her down once more. Kagome nodded, but inside she didn't feel quite the same. So Naraku now had a _complete _Shikon jewell, and he had corrupted it with his malice...what if it was far to tainted to the point it couldn't be purified?

InuYasha carried Kagome out of the way again as Naraku sent forward another lot of tentacles. They couldn't keep this up, sooner or later, one of those tentacles would hit one of them...

InuYasha would make sure that person wasn't Kagome.

He placed Kagome on the ground and through his haori over her, making sure she was covered. He then stood over her with Tetsusaiga and did his best to deflect the attacks Naraku sent at them.

" InuYasha! What are you doing!? " Kagome yelled, now scared for his own safety.

" I am _not _gonna loose you again Kagome! " InuYasha yelled back, deflecting another tentacle.

Kagome was taken aback by that. Did InuYasha really care for her that much? She knew now that she cared for him, quite deeply...but was it really...?

InuYasha sent another adament barage at Naraku, suceeding in destroying several flying limbs. As Kagome watched InuYasha, she couldn't help but feel a sharp pang in her heart every time a tenatcle nearly hit him. She looked to his wound from before. It was definately slowing him down, as much as he denied it. He still kept going though...

_" And he's doing it for my sake..."_

Kagome seethed. She had to do something other than just lay here!

InuYasha missed a tentacle and it pierced his stomach once more, causing him to roar in agony. H efell to his knees, clutching his side desperately. Crimson blood seeped through his fingers as they tightly clutched the new wound.

Kagome couldn't stand it.

" INUYASHAAA!!! " Kagome bellowed as she jumped to her feet and through her body over InuYasha, holding out her hand. It glowed brightly.

" What!? " Naraku stuttered in surprise. A blast of miko energy shot out of Kagome's extended hand, hurtling towards Naraku. He doubled back, but didn't move quick enough. The blast hit him squarely in the chest.

Naraku roared back in pain, the purifying energy tearing at him, burning away at his already scarred flesh. _" NO!! I WILL NOT LET THAT MIKO STOP ME AGAIN!!! "_

Naraku used all his strength to move out of the way before Kagome's energy could pentrate his skin any further. In his scurry however, he dropped the shikon jewell...

Kagome was breathing heavily, but gave a gasp of relief when she saw InuYasha stir and open his eyes from his spot of the ground. Kagome eased herself off of him and put her hand to his cheek, gently coaxing him to look at her face.

" Ka..Kagome..." InuYasha stuttered, spitting out a small amount of blood. Kagome winced at the pain etched in his voice, and she rubbed her fingers gently over his jawline.

" InuYasha...it's alright...you're okay..."

" How..how did you?..." InuYasha asked.

" You mean with Naraku? I think I may have stopped him for a little while, but he'll be back soon, my attack merely burned him a little...we have to get you out of here before he comes back! "

" No! Kagome, I am NOT leaving you here alone! " InuYasha stated.

" InuYasha you baka! You're already seriously hurt! You keep going on about how horrible it would be if you lost me, but you never even stopped to think what it would be like if _I _lost _you_! " Kagome hissed, almost angry at him.

InuYasha was the one taken aback this time. _" What does she mean how she would feel? Does that really mean...does she really care for me? Is it possible that she...? "_

Kagome was surprised by what came out of her mouth aswell.

_" So, does this mean...that I...I..."_

InuYasha sat up painfully. Kagome was about to protest before she found herself wrapped in InuYasha's embrace. He rested his chin on her head, taking in her scent.

" Inu...Yasha?..."

InuYasha said nothing, he just held her there.

Kagome thought to herself.

_" I...this feeling in my chest...fluttering, kind of feeling...I...this feeling...all of these feelings must mean...that I...I must love him, I must love InuYasha..."_

How? Why did she love him? She couldn't even remember him! She hardly knew him!

_" But deep down...I think my feelings have always been there...I must have loved him before, to..."_

Kagome pulled back from InuYasha's embrace and looked into his face. She found herself enchanted by those eyes, those deep, golden eyes. Her face was leaning towards his, and his to hers, until their noses were almost touching. Their lips were centimetres apart, when...

" InuYasha! Kagome! "

The couple looked up, startled and a little embarrassed as they saw Kirara land gracefully infront of them. Miroku, Sango, Kaede, Shippo and Kohaku all jumped off of the neko and ran towards them all.

Sango threw her arms around a startled Kagome, crushing her into an embrace. Shippo followed, and Kirara jumped on her shoulder, licking her face. Kaede and Miroku smiled at Kagome before turning to check InuYasha over. Kohaku looked from the side, still smiling.

" I was so worried about you Kagome! Are you really alright!? " Sango asked desperately.

Kagome was surprised at the who woman she had been speaking to on the hill with Kirara and Kari. She had felt a connection with her, and everyone in that village. It had been as if she knew them all from somewhere...

Kagome wrapped her arms around Sango's back, and then replied.

" Yeah...Yeah, I'm fine..."

**" Pathetic..."**

The group whirled round and came face to face with Naraku.

He was sneering at them, laughing at them.

Kirara growled and brandished her fangs at him. Shippo quivered a little in fear but stood his ground. Kohaku and Miroku stood beside Sango as she readied her Hiraikotsu. Kaede stood beside them with her bow and arrow.

Kagome was still kneeling behind them with InuYasha, her arms wrapped around him, vowing to never let Naraku wound him or any of her friends again. She sighed slightly. She placed InuYasha's head on the ground, earning from him a surprised moan. Kagome stood infront of them all.

" I am not going to let you hurt my friends Naraku. You will lose, and this time, you _will _die..."

Kagome raised her hands above her head once more, as another makeshift bow and arrow formed. This time however, it was completely pure, and glowing brightly with purifying light.

Her friends watched in amazment as Kagome took aim, and fired at Naraku.

" Ku Ku Ku...Just try and stop me miko..."


	20. Purification: Part 2

**Purification: Part 2**

Kagome was ready. She was ready to defend her friends. They were _her _friends. They had saved her before, protected her, kept her out of harms way. It was time for her to repay them. Wether she remembered them or not, she would protect them too.

Kagome fired the arrow she had formed and it zoomed straight at Naraku, leaving behind a trail of spiritaul light. It hit Naraku full on in his torso, but Naraku only laughed and the damage she'd applied was very limited.

Miroku, Sango and Kaede noted this and looked at Kagome curiously. She launched another arrow.

_" What is Kagome doing? " _Sango wondered.

Kaede was wondering the same thing before she realised something. Kagome must have known that a single arrow could not defeat Naraku, spiritual or not. Was Kagome...distracting Naraku?

Kagome averted her gaze from Naraku for a mere moment and looked Kaede directly in the eye.

_" Get to the jewell! "_

Sango, Miroku and everyone else seemed to have heard Kagome speak aswell. Sango looked to her once lost best friend and then to a small glittering that was comming from back near the forest.

" Miroku...look there! Is that...Is that the sacred jewell? " Sango asked turning to face the monk.

The monk looked to where Sango was motioning him and saw the glittering too. _It was the jewell!_

" Sango, we have to get the jewell. One of us can make it over there and get it while the rest help Kagome distract Naraku, " Miroku whispered back to Sango.

Shippo heard this with his keen hearing and jumped onto Miroku's shoulder.

" I'll go! You two help Kagome distract Naraku! " Shippo stated before jumping down and bounding towards the forest.

Miroku and Sango had no time to disagree or object. Shippo would be faster any of them at that point.

Both Sango and Miroku advanced to Kagome's side and readied for battle.

" HIRAIKOTSU!! " Sango shouted, sending her giant boomerang forward and effectively destroying several of Naraku's tentacles.

" SACRED SUTRAS!! " Miroku yelled, sending the sutras forward also.

" Ku Ku Ku...Impudent mortals..." Naraku taunted, sending forward a whole wave of tentacles. He nearly knocked them all out of the way, but Kirara stepped in and destroyed them with her teeth and claws. The group began firing once more.

" What are you trying to accomplish you foolish people? " Naraku asked mockingly, a little surprised that they weren't backing down.

Suddenly a high pitched voice sounded.

" I'VE GOT IT, I'VE GOT IT!!! " Shippo screeched at the top of his lungs, bounding back towards them.

" FOOL! " InuYasha shouted from his position on the ground, still clutching his side. Now Naraku would figure it out...

" So, you've been trying to keep me distracted eh?..." Naraku jeered. He sent forward a great spike that hit Shippo in his stomach and sent him ricketing backwards, the jewell falling from his fingers. He lay motionless.

" Shippo! " The group shouted.

" THAT'S IT!!! " InuYasha yelled. Slowly, he stood, using Tetsusaiga to support himself before brandishing it at Naraku.

" THAT IS THE LAST TIME YOU HURT ONE OF MY FRIENDS NARAKU!! " InuYasha bellowed.

" INUYASHA! Get back! Ye are still unfit to battle! " Kaede ordered the half demon.

" Feh! This old hag? _This _is nothing compared to what _I'm _going to do to that filthy bastard when I get my claws on him!! "

With that InuYasha bounded forward as if his wounds did not affect him at all. He slashed at the tentacles, sending blood flying in all directions. He was seriously ticked off.

Kohaku had ran to Shippo's side when Naraku hit him. He tore off a piece of his shirt and covered the small Kitsune with it, and then turned to the tainted jewell that lay beside him. Kohaku shivered at its terrible aura, before reaching his hand down shakingly and clasping the jewell in his palm. The jewell suddenly pulsed.

Kagome froze. She could fell the jewell pulsing. She could literally feel it pulsating through her veins.

_**Purify the jewell Kagome!**_

Huh? Who was that?

_" Kari?..."_

_**You must purify the jewell mow Kagome! Before it is completely tainted! **_

_" Kari?...How are you here?..."_

_**Only in spirit Kagome. My body is dead but my spirit and soul will forever remain with you! My very being was created to be with you! Death cannot change that! **_

Kagome's bangs covered her eyes.

InuYasha looked to Kagome all of a sudden. He noted her troubled aura, and it scared him when she hid her face under her hair from anyones view. _" Ka...Kagome? "_

_" Kari...Please...Please don't leave me again..." _Kagome begged.

_**My spirit and soul will always have a connection with yours Kagome, but as I said before, my body is long gone...I can only speak with if nessesary...otherwise I am afraid you won't know I am here...**_

Kagome choked back a sob.

_**You cannot trouble your mind with that now Kagome! You still have a mission to complete and friends to protect! Friends who really care for you! You must purify the jewell now! This may be your only chance, and with the jewell gone Naraku can never return to full power! Only then can he be destroyed!**_

Kagome felt numb. She slowly turned her head in the direction of Kohaku and the jewell he held. So Kohaku had a connection with the demon slayer, Sango. Maybe that was why his name sounded familiar to her when she'd first met him back at the castle. Maybe it was because of something from her past that she recognised his name...

Kagome wnated Kari back with her so much, but she knew she couldn't bring him back. Sure, she could make a wish upon the jewell, but the odds were that that was a selfish wish, and the jewell would most certainly not be purified. Maybe if she conjured up enough strength, enough power, then just her touch might...

Kagome bounded to Kohaku.

" Kohaku! You must give me the jewell now! " Kagome ordered the young boy hastily.

Kohaku held his hand out to give Kagome the jewell. Before she could take it though, something hit both her and Kohaku hard and sent them flying in opposite directions, the jewell included.

" KAGOME!! " InuYasha yelled.

" KOHAKU!! KAGOME!! " Came Sango's screech for her brother and friend.

Kohaku landed close to the forest, where Kirara was closest and managed to block a nasty impact against a tree. Kagome landed close to the cliffs edge, the jewell just beside her. She grogigly opened her eyes and sat up. She could hear her friends call of her name. She looked over to the forest and felt relieved to see that the nekomata, Kirara, had caught Kohaku before he hit one of the trees.

Then she heard the cruel laughter of the one she despised most. _Naraku..._

Naraku covered the area with a heavy mist of miasma, causing Kagome's friends to keep low to the ground and out of its reach. When the miasma cleared, a barrier had formed around Naraku and Kagome. Naraku continued to laugh.

Kagome was suddenly hit with the strangest feeling of deja vu...

InuYasha got up from the ground. He saw what Naraku was doing, and despite the pain that still throbbed in his side, he swung the now redTetsusaiga constantly at the newly errected barrier, desperately trying to break through.

Like before, Miroku and Sango also did their very best to break through, but still to no avail. Kaede had been at Kohaku and Shippo's side with Kirara, only able to look on anxiously. She thought to herself.

_" This...This is how it happened last time! Naraku had Kagome at the edge of a cliff...a n unbreakable barrier surrounding them! "_

Kagome became aware of the deadly situation she was in. She looked to her left. _The jewell..._

If Kagome could just reach it...

" Oh no you don't miko...even touch that jewell and it will be the last thing you ever do! I'll send you over that cliff just like last time! " Naraku declared, his many limbs waving threatingly.

InuYasha was still hitting the barrier with his sword, refusing to give up.

Naraku jeered at his persistancy, knowing there was no way he could break through, just like before.

Sango was nearly in tears.

_" Please Kagome...not again..." _

Kagome looked to her friends and saw the terrified yet knowing look on their faces, like they'd seen this all before. This must have been what happened last time...

Kagome looked down ato the scar underneath her kimono on her chest.

_" Naraku...you...you monster..."_

She looked to her friends one at at time, looking at what they were trying to do. Did they really care about her as much as Kari had said? They were using all of their inner strength and power to break through Naraku's barrier, and she noted that Kirara had left Kohaku with Keade and was now also trying to break through the barrier. Her gaze finally fell upon InuYasha.

_" He's trying so hard...even with the wounds inflicted on his stomach...he's hurt so badly, and it's my fault...he got hurt protecting me..."_

Kagome looked to Naraku, and then to the jewell. She made her decision.

Kagome didn't care if Naraku killed her again. She didn't care if she didn't have her memories back. All she cared about was the safety of her freinds, of InuYasha...

Kagome leapt forward and with her last ounce of will power she plunged as much purifying energy as she could into the jewell. The pain she felt overcome her body was unbearable.

" KAGOME!!! " InuYasha yelled to her, dropping Tetsusaiga and banging his fists on the side of the barrier,

" KAGOME STOP!! " Both Miroku and Sango yelled also.

" KAGOME NO! YE WILL DIE LIKE THIS!! " Kaede shouted to her, but the shouts fell on deaths ears. Kaede knew the pain Kagome was putting herself in. She was ripping her all her purity and strength from her soul and forcing it into the jewell. Kaede knew Kagome's spiritual power was immense, and if she managed to keep it up the jewell might just be purified...

...If Kagome _could _keep it up long enough...

The way her face contorted...it looked like she'd die from the pain...

Kaede knew now Kagome couldn't do this alone. She needed help. The old miko looked at InuYasha. She knew Kagome couldn't properly remember them all, but she must have felt something for them, something that was never forgotten, that had always been there since she'd been saved by Midoriko and Kikyou...

Kaede then noticed one of Kagome's discarded arrows she'd used to distract Naraku with. Maybe, with Kaede being a miko herself...maybe the arrow would accept her...

Kaede wasted no time. She hurried over to the arrow as fast as her aging legs would carry her and grabbed Kagome's arrow. She notched it to her bow. The spiritual energy comming from the makeshift arrow was incredible, and it still glowed with pure light. It seemed to be accepting Kaede though, allowing her to take aim at Naraku's barrier. She let the arrow go.

With a swift whoosing sound, the arrow hit the barrier and almost immediately the barrier faded away.

Kagome didn't quite seem to notice this, she was still concerntrating on purifying the jewell. It was taking all of her strength, mind, body and soul to keep it up. She didn't know how much more she could take...

Kaede noticed this and called out to InuYasha to tell him to get over there and support Kagome, but he was already way ahead of her. Everyone, including a flustered Naraku watched as InuYasha bounded over to Kagome. He knelt down to her level and wrapped his arma around her form. The purifying magic burned his skin, but he didn't care. He wouldn't let Kagome go through this on her own.

Through the pain she was in Kagome noticed the mass of red and silver that had enveloped itself around her. _" InuYasha..."_

The pink aura surrounded them both, as InuYasha fueled his strength into Kagome, hoping it would be enough. Kagome took it gratefully and started coverting it into the jewell. She remembered Midoriko's words about her finding strength from her friends.

Watching in amazement at the two, Sango, Miroku and Kaede all prayed for Kagome and InuYasha, urging them to keep going silently in their minds, giving whatever support they could.

Kagome could feel their auras swirling around her and InuYasha, and she combined them, converting them into spiritual energy. She drew all the strength she could muster from within herself, her friends and InuYasha. At long, long last the jewell lit up with pure, pink magic.

Kagome would have passed out, but she had one more thing to do. She brought the newly untainted jewell to her chest and made a wish.

" I wish for the Shikon-no-tama's destruction! "

Immediately the jewell flew out of Kagome's hands and she fell to the ground, InuYasha falling with her.

The jewell flew higher and higher into the air, until it finally stopped. It floated there in the air, completely suspended. A bright light suddenly erupted from and covered the earth as far as the eye could see. Everyone in the clearing blocked their eyes and were pushed backwards by the sheer force of the blast. Sango was pushed into Miroku and they both fell to the ground on top of eachother. Kirara did her best to cover Kaede, Shippo and Kohaku but evntually they all fell backwards aswell.

The jewell finally disolved into a further blinding light. Naraku screamed in utter agony. There was no escape for him now. The sheer force purified his body once and for all, and with a final scream of pain he was burnt away, gone forever.

Before finally collpasing to the ground, Kagome whispered one sentance to the wind...

" Oyasumi Nasai, Naraku..."


	21. Aftermath: Life as we know it

**Aftermath: Life as we know it**

_**A 15 year old girl stepped out of the Bone eater's well. She had long black raven hair, and wore a green skirt and white shirt, her school uniform. She looked at the unfamiliar surroundings with surprise but awe. She was in a small clearing in the middle of what appeared to be a vast forest. This wasn't her home. Where was she? **_

_**" I could be wrong, but Toto, I don't think we're in Tokyo anymore..."**_

_**The girl cimbed out of the old well, her eyes wondering in multiple directions, looking for anything that seemed even remotely familiar. She looked over at the forest once more.**_

_**" Ah! The tree! " The girl sighed happily, finally finding something she recognised as home. **_

_**She ran forward through the forest, allowing the top of one of the tallest trees in the forest to guide her to her destination. Smiling with relief, the girl finally broke free of the closely packed trees, and stepped into a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing was the great tall tree she had been following, Goshinboku it was called. As she looked up at it properly for the first time, the girl's smile vanished and was replaced with a look of utmost surprise and curiosity.**_

_**A boy, with long silver white hair, and dressed in a deep red kimono, was pressed up against Goshinboku's trunk. As far as she could tell, the boy was unconscious, and it made her wince a little when she noticed the arrow that stuck out of his chest, pinning him to the tree. What gained her attention most however, was the white fluffy dog ears that situated on his head...**_

" Kagome! Kagome wake up! "

Kagome recognised the deep masculine voice that was calling out to her, and immediately her eyes shot open.

Her brown eyes met with those of golden pools, shining with worry and concern. _...InuYasha?_

" Kagome! " " Lady Kagome! "

So many familiar voices called out to her. It was strange hearing them, as if she'd not heard them in a long time. She was vaguely aware that several arms had wrapped themselves around her, crushing her body into desperate hugs of relief.

_" Sango...Miroku...Shippo...Kaede...Kohaku..."_

Something small and fluffy jumped on her shoulder and began licking her face.

_" Kirara..."_

Everyone around her ceased their hugging and stopped to look at Kagome. The young miko stood slowly to her feet, but lost her balance and fell towards the ground. She was caught round the waist by a pair of strong arms however, and Kagome looked up to once again meet InuYasha's gaze.

InuYasha felt worried by the look on Kagome's face. It seemed like she was trying to work something out, or maybe slowly registering something. The rest of the goup seemed to notice this aswell.

" Ka...gome?..." Shippo called out worriedly, holding out a hand and taking a step forward.

InuYasha gently kneeled to the ground on his knees with Kagome. She wasn't saying anything in reply to Shippo's call. Something was wrong...

InuYasha cupped Kagome's face with his hands and brought her eyes to meet his once more.

" Kagome?...Kagome what is it? What's wrong with you?..." InuYasha asked, the concern never leaving his voice. It was starting to feel with fear now. Didn't she recognise them?

_" Please...not again...let her recognise me! "_

Kagome brought one of her hands to clasp one of InuYasha's clawed ones on her face. She grasped his fingers, running her own over them, backwards and forth. Then she brought her other hand to InuYasha's face, and ran a thumb over his jawline, as if she were studying him. Finally, InuYasha saw something click behind her brown eyes.

Kagome's face suddenly broke out into a huge, genuine smile, and her eyes lit up like the stars at night. It took InuYasha's breath away.

" INUYASHA! " Kagome yelled, launching both of her arms around his neck and clinging to him tightly. " InuYasha...InuYasha..." Kagome continued to chant.

The volume of her scream made everyone jump, and InuYasha had to block his ears.

" What was _that _for Kagome?! You trying to make me death?! " InuYasha yelled back to her.

He couldn't be angry or annoyed though. Not with the way Kagome was looking at him...

Light. The light was back in her eyes. The light that hadn't been there since he'd first been reunited with her. The light he hadn't seen for months. _His _Kagomewas looking at him truely for the first time in months...

Kagome's memories had returned.

" Oh InuYasha! I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry..." Kagome began to sob as she buried her head into his chest, allowing her tears to fall.

InuYasha wrapped his arms around her, bringing her as close as he possibly could. He didn't care what had happened before. All he cared about was that Kagome was back with him...the Kagome who'd freed him from Goshinboku...the Kagome who'd accepted him like no one had before...the Kagome he cared for like no other...

InuYasha cupped her face once more, and, not caring who saw, he brought his lips down to meet hers, closing his eyes. Kagome responded, closing her eyes in complete bliss and she sighed deeply in happiness. She really remembered evrything from before. She had _her _memories back with her. As InuYasha broke away from the kiss, he looked deeply into Kagome's eyes again.

" Don't you _ever _leave me like that again, Kagome. _Ever. _" He told her firmly, before his face broke out into a rare smile and he enveloped her into a loving hug once more. He whispered gently into her ear so that no one else would hear. " I love you..."

" I...I love you too..."

From just behind InuYasha and Kagome, the rest of the group smiled with happiness. Sango placed her hand on her brother's shoulder as Miroku wrapped an arm around her. She happily leaned into his embrace, still smiling at InuYasha and Kagome.

Kaede watched from behind them, also smiling, her grin widening as Shippo raced towards the couple and wrapped his small arms around their necks, nearly choking them in his happiness. InuYasha responded to this by knocking Shippo over the head with his fist. Kagome's eyes instantly narrowed. The group held their breath. Here came something they hadn't seen in a long time. Something that they, even InuYasha himself, had greatly missed...

" InuYasha SIT boy! "

The rosary glowed brightly and with distinctive thud InuYasha hit the ground.

The group sighed in contentment.

_-Two weeks later-_

" Are you sure you're ready Kagome? "

" Yeah..."

Kagome nodded in response to InuYasha's question, as she swung her knees over the side of the bone eater's well. She was wearing some fresh miko clothes from Kaede, and was now preparing to jump back down the old well, and back into her time.

She was going to see her family again for the first time in over _four _months.

InuYasha got ready to jump in with her, and their friends watched as InuYasha held Kagome round the waist, set and ready. Kagome took a deep breath.

She didn't know what her family's reaction would be to her return. Good, she hoped. They hadn't seen her in such along time. Kagome would find out soon enough. She gave a final nod to InuYasha, and together they jumped into the well, passing through the swirling blueness that was that led them 500 years into the future.

When they finally reached the other side, InuYasha carried Kagome out of the well. They opened the well house's wooden doors and walked out into the shrine grounds. Nothing much had really changed.

In the distance, the small figure of young boy stopped his current duty and turned to them, dropping the ball he had been playing with. The young boy's eyes widened in utter disbelief.

Kagome felt InuYasha hold her hand, offering her his support. She smiled gratefully at him before turning to the dumbstruck boy that stood before them.

" Hi Souta, long time no see eh?..."

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**And **_**that**_** people, is the END!! **

**Sorry if it seemed a bit short or haste, but I really felt like ending it like this, I saw no other way anyway...**

**But anyway I hope you liked it all the same! Please review!!!**

**A/N: The first chapter of my next story will be up very soon, I'm going to try an alternate reality! Or at least something similar... **


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